Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 10-05-03

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

CONTENTS

[01] UN OFFICIAL CYPRUS TALKS

[02] SPOKESMAN NATIONAL COUNCIL

[03] GAROYIAN ISRAEL OFFICIAL VISIT

[04] CB GOVERNOR - ECONOMY

[01] UN OFFICIAL CYPRUS TALKS

Downer, who held a meeting Monday in the Turkish occupied areas of Cyprus with new Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu, said he hoped that negotiations would resume before the beginning of June. On Tuesday morning, the UN official will be received by President of the Republic of Cyprus Demetris Christorfias.

I made it clear that the UN position is that the talks must be on the basis of the UN parameters, particularly as defined in the UN Security Council resolutions and the agreements, letters, statements between Christofias and Talat of 23rd May and 1st July, he told reporters.

Downer said that the UN want the talks to build on the convergences that have already been achieved, and not go back to the very beginning.

Eroglu has made it clear that he is happy for the talks to proceed on that basis, he went on to say.

He stated that the momentum needs to be put back into negotiations and reiterated that the process cannot go forever, adding that there is not a specific time line.

Downer, who is planning to go Turkey before the end of May, said that the UN have not specified any timelines, adding that the process cant be allowed to drag on.

The UN, he said, have worked very hard to help the process, have invested a lot of time, a lot of energy, a lot of money and want it to be successful.

Reiterating that this is an agreement within reach, he said that dragging out the negotiations indefinitely is not an option.

Replying to questions, he said he would like to see the talks get underway before the beginning of June, during the course of May.

Asked about Eroglus statements for a solution based on two separate states and two separate peoples, he said that he went through the issue with Eroglu adding that negotiations aim to achieve a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation with political equality and single international personality.

The UN official said that Eroglu agrees that this is the basis on which negotiations can continue.

In his statements later on, Eroglu said they have agreed to resume negotiations, adding that most probably negotiations can start on 26 May, which is a UN proposal.

Replying to a question, he said that he will go to Ankara before the resumption of the negotiations, adding that Downer will also visit Ankara on 24th of May.

Invited to comment on Downers statement that he has accepted to continue the negotiations on the basis of the UN parameters and the 23rd of May and 1st of July agreements, Eroglu referred journalists to the letter he had sent to UNSG, saying that he is committed by the content of that letter and will continue negotiations in the line of the letter.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third.

President Christofias and former Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat began in September 2008 UN-led talks for a mutually agreed settlement to the problem of Cyprus, divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. The process was interrupted on March 30 because of the so-called elections for a new leader that were won by Dervis Eroglu, known for his long-held divisive positions on the Cyprus problem.

[02] SPOKESMAN NATIONAL COUNCIL

Invited to say what should people expect from the National Councils meeting, he recalled that a similar discussion was held during the four day meeting of the National Council last September which concluded in some very serious issues regarding the strategy and the aims of the Greek Cypriot policy. The National Council, he went on to add, reviews and assesses the Cyprus negotiations so far, noting that there are new facts now, after the change in the Turkish Cypriot leadership.

Invited to comment on the position expressed by some parliamentary parties to review the strategy of the Greek Cypriot side, the Spokesman wondered whether now is the time for the Greek Cypriot side to withdraw its positions and thus giving Turkey the gift to withdraw positions or change the procedure. We must weigh things very seriously and assess all facts, he went on to note.

[03] GAROYIAN ISRAEL OFFICIAL VISIT

During the visit, Garoyian will be received by Israeli President Shimon Perez and will hold separate meetings with Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin, Minister of Foreign Affairs Avigdor Lieberman, Minister of Social Affairs and Services Isaac Herzog, Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos and Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem Torkom Manoogian.

He will also visit the Holocaust Monument Yad Vashem and will attend an official dinner hosted in his honour by Rivlin. Cyprus` Ambassador to Tel Aviv Tasos Tzionis will be hosting a reception.

[04] CB GOVERNOR - ECONOMY

``This trend can not continue without having a negative impact on the economy, he stressed. But he expressed the view that ``if we move quickly and limit increase we can avoid the pain which surely some people will feel temporarily in Greece, due to the painful measures that the Greek government is forced to take.

Invited to comment on the Cypriot governments stability program, submitted to the European Commission, he said that it is the first indication that Cyprus has to solve its fiscal problem. The Governor was also invited to comment on the Central Banks predictions on the economy growth rate for 2010, in the light of the reference in the Banks report that initial predictions for December 2009 for an increase of 0.3% are over optimistic.

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