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Monday, 18 November 2024 | ||
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Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 10-02-24Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>CONTENTS
[01] LEADERS - TALKSThe leaders of the two communities in Cyprus, President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat resumed on Wednesday morning the negotiating process to find a mutually acceptable solution to the Cyprus problem.As Government Spokesman Stephanos Stephanou announced on February 12, the next meetings between the two leaders, which will be held on March 4, 16 and 30, were decided after consultations with the UN and the Turkish Cypriot side. In statements after a meeting on Monday with President Christofias, UN Secretary Generals Special Advisor for Cyprus Alexander 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. 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, Christofias and Talat conducted two rounds of intensive talks. [02] STATE DEPARTMENT CYPRUS DIALOGUEState Department spokesman Philip Crowley has said that a very constructive dialogue is going on between Turkey and Greece, between the Turkish Cypriot community and the Greek Cypriot community, aided by the UN, adding that we are pleased to play a role in that.Crowley was asked whether he agrees with a statement made by US Ámbassador in Turkey according to whom ``Turkey is a peaceful country, it doesn`t invade its neighbors and it has security concerns in Cyprus and not Iraq``. Crowley said that of course I agree with that statement, while asked to say if he agrees that Turkey didn`t invade Cyprus, he said: Look, we are focused forward, were not focused backward. There is a very constructive dialogue going on between, you know, Turkey and Greece, between the Turkish Cypriot community and the Greek Cypriot community, aided by the UN. We are pleased to play a role in that, he added. Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |