Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 10-02-23

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From: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>

CONTENTS

[01] PRESIDENT CHRISTOFIAS - DOWNER - MEETING

[02] UNSG - CYPRUS ISSUE

[03] MEDVEDEV - CYPRUS - OFFICIAL VISIT

[04] CYPRUS - CAP

[01] PRESIDENT CHRISTOFIAS - DOWNER - MEETING

In statements after the meeting, Downer said that the two leaders would first hold a tete - a - tete session, adding that President Christofias would like to focus on the chapter of economy.

Asked whether there will be another intensive round of talks, Downer said that the plan is for the meeting to take up the whole day, not just to be a short meeting and there is going to be another meeting on the 4th of March and two more meetings after that.

The Turkish Cypriots would like it to be two more meetings on top of that but in any case there will be these four meetings and the last of which is planed for the end of March so there will be a fair bit of activity, he noted.

Invited to say whether he is cautiously optimistic, he said that his position has not changed.

This is obviously a difficult problem. I said this on many occasions that the Cyprus problem would have been solved long ago if it wasn`t difficult to solve, he continued.

Downer expressed the view that a solution is within the grasp of the leaders but they have to work their way through to more issues they havent completed.

Asked whether he is concerned about any delays in the process, he said that the UN would not want to be delays, but there are at least four meetings over the next five weeks and so the process is continuing.

He noted though that there is going to be a delay because of the illegal elections that will take place in the Turkish occupied areas of Cyprus and will be concluded at the end of April.

So, obviously there will be a delay but there is no question of being concerned, it is part of the political cycle, he added.

Asked about the day after in case Dervis Eroglu wins the illegal elections among the Turkish Cypriot community, Downer refrained from commenting on that but he expressed the view that if Talat wins, there will be continuity; if it is Eroglou, we don`t know how he will approach it.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Peace talks began in September 2008 with a view to finding a negotiated settlement to reunite the country.

In January 2010, President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat conducted two rounds of intensive talks that lasted seven days. They will meet again in the context of the talks on February 24.

[02] UNSG - CYPRUS ISSUE

This was stated by a UNSG spokesman, who added that the Secretary-General has had a phone conversation with both leaders after concluding his visit to Cyprus, early February.

The spokesman said that the two leaders, President of Cyprus Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, have reiterated to the UNSG quite clearly their commitment to finding a solution to the Cyprus problem.

And they have also underscored their commitment to continue with the negotiations which have been fairly intensive in the last 18 months. And they do not intend to take their foot off the accelerator there, he went on to add.

Asked which is the basis of the Secretary-Generals optimism, the Spokesman said that it is based quite clearly on the strong commitment that he heard on the grounds and subsequently from the leaders, both Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot, and also on the guidance that he receives from his Special Adviser.

[03] MEDVEDEV - CYPRUS - OFFICIAL VISIT

Announcing the visit, Government Spokesman Stephanos Stephanou said President of the Republic Demetris Christofias had sent a letter to Medvedev in January, regarding Turkish provocations, and in his reply, the Russian President expressed his country`s appreciation for President Christofias` stance in talks for a solution of the Cyprus problem, in line with UN resolutions.

Medvedev reaffirmed Russia`s position that a solution could only be found through talks between the two communities, and that any efforts to impose ready solution plan, including an artificial negotiating framework and pressure from third parties, would be unconstructive.

[04] CYPRUS - CAP

Cyprus was represented at the Council by Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and the Environment, Egli Pantelaki.

In her intervention, Pantelaki expressed Cyprus support to an initiative of the Spanish EU Presidency to continue the discussion on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy emphasising on the market management measures after 2013.

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