Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 10-09-22

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

CONTENTS

[01] CYPRUS PRESIDENT - UNSG - JEWISH LOBBY - ABBAS - MEETINGS

[02] CYPRUS HOUSE PRESIDENT - CYPRUS PROBLEM

[03] CYPRUS PARTIES - PROPERTIES

[04] PAPANDREOU - BIDEN - MEETING

[01] CYPRUS PRESIDENT - UNSG - JEWISH LOBBY - ABBAS - MEETINGS

In statements after a meeting he had at the UN headquarters with Ban, Christofias said that the UN Secretary General was interested in listening to his views.

I told him very frankly our position regarding Turkey stance, the communicative game by Turkey and Mr. Eroglu (the Turkish Cypriot leader) and their effort to play a blame game, something which we consider unacceptable and which proves that Turkey is not ready to move towards a settlement of the Cyprus problem right now, he noted .

Christofias expressed his sincere intention to continue the dialogue aiming to solve the Cyprus problem, noting however that the dialogue must be substantive and that there should not be any proposals that will result to a setback of the talks.

He noted that he informed Ban that the proposals of the Turkish side on the issue of properties constitute a setback even from the provisions of the Annan plan.

Christofias reiterated to Ban his proposals for linking the issue of properties with the issue of territory, with a view to facilitate the process.

As he noted he also underlined our good will to move forward towards a settlement of the Cyprus problem the soonest possible because it is the people who are suffering and not Turkey. I told him that we have already made acts of good will towards the Turkish Cypriot community for which we do not regret, he noted, underlining that we have no intention of making any concessions for foreigners, including Turkey.

He said that the UN Secretary General did not make any hint for a change in the process or regarding any exertion of pressure on the Greek Cypriot side.

The UN Secretary General has pledged that he will meet the Turkish leadership and that he will ask them to translate their words into deeds. This was my request to the Secretary General and he replied affirmatively, he added.

Christofias replied negatively to a question whether they discussed about changing the process of the negotiations or about the possibility of organizing an International Conference on Cyprus.

Responding to another question, Christofias said that Turkeys role to efforts for a settlement is a decisive one and that is why that UN Secretary General and others, including the EU, must direct their efforts towards Turkey.

Christofias also expressed satisfaction over a European Parliament resolution approved on Tuesday by which MEPs deplored Turkey`s failure to implement the additional protocol to the EC-Turkey Association Agreement which guarantees access to Turkish airports and harbours for all EU member states, including Cyprus, and called on Ankara to apply the protocol in full, without delay or discrimination.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon has expressed his appreciation for the proposals that have been put forward on property, in the framework of direct negotiations aiming to solve the problem of Cyprus, and encouraged continuing efforts to increase convergences on this complex and key issue, a UN Secretary General spokesperson said after a meeting Ban had at the UN Headquarters with Cyprus President Demetris Christofias.

The spokesperson also noted that the Secretary General reaffirmed that the United Nations will continue to make every effort to assist the Cypriot-led negotiation process.

He noted that discussions between Ban and Christofias focused on the status of the negotiations to find a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem.

``In this regard, the Secretary General expressed his appreciation for the proposals that have been put forward on property, and encouraged continuing efforts to increase convergences on this complex and key issue,`` he added.

Meanwhile, President of the Republic of Cyprus met on Tuesday with the leadership of the powerful American Jewish Committee(AJC) and the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, on the sidelines of the 65th Session of United Nations General Assembly.

Jewish lobby officials were briefed by President Christofias on the latest developments in the Cyprus problem and asked questions about this issue as well as other regional concerns, over a lunch they hosted for the Cypriot President.

The luncheon of the American Jewish Committee whose Executive Director is David Harris - was also attended by leading officials of the Greek American community.

Speaking to the press, President Christofias described the discussion as very good, adding that the members of the Committee showed great interest and they promised to continue these contacts.

He said that he had the opportunity to analyze in depth the Cyprus problem as well as our vision with regard to the broader Middle East, Cyprus, Palestine and Israel.

They have agreed with me on the position I had expressed that, of course there is every right for Palestinians to have their state and for Israel to have their own state in conditions of peaceful cooperation and good neighborly relations between them. And this I consider it to be a positive element, President Christofias noted.

He added that it is perhaps the first time the American Jewish Committee is getting involved in Cyprus issue showing such interest.

They have promised that they would continue and try to help to solve the problem in the fairest possible way. This is good in any case and is positive element.

Regarding his meeting with Mahmoud Abbas - whom he called a very good, old, friend of Cyprus the President said that during their discussion they shared their views and anxieties with regard to progress in the Cyprus problem and the resumption of negotiations in an attempt to resolve the Palestinian problem.

He promised the Palestinian President to visit the Palestinian Territories as soon as possible. President Christofias said that Israeli settlements must be halted to give the chance for negotiations.

President Christofias also met with Serbian President Boris Tadic.

President Christofias is meet on Wednesday with Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou.

According to a diplomatic source, the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Cyprus, Alexander Downer, who arrives on Wednesday in New York, has requested a meeting with the President of the Republic.

Earlier on Tueday, President Christofias addressed the General Assembly plenary session on the Millennium Development Goals.

The three-day meeting wraps up today with the adoption of a Policy Declarationby State and Government Heads providing for an action plan to accelerate and enforce efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

The Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot sides have been engaged in direct negotiations since September 2008 with a view to solve the problem of Cyprus, divided since the Turkish invasion of the island in 1974.

[02] CYPRUS HOUSE PRESIDENT - CYPRUS PROBLEM

In statements at Larnaka airport on his arrival from Syria, where he paid an official visit, Garoyian said that so far Ankara has made no step in fulfilling the obligations it has undertaken towards the EU and the Republic of Cyprus.

Garoyian was invited to comment on the resolution approved Tuesday by the European Parliament plenary, which deplores Turkeys failure to implement the additional protocol to the EC-Turkey Association Agreement which guarantees access to Turkish airports and harbours for all EU member states, including Cyprus.

He said that the resolution exerts political pressure on Turkey, noting that it gives a clear message to Ankara that it has to fulfill its obligations towards the EU and the Republic of Cyprus, without delay.

[03] CYPRUS PARTIES - PROPERTIES

The political parties from both communities of Cyprus, reiterated their readiness to work together in order to achieve a federal solution in Cyprus as soon as possible.

The Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot political parties meet regularly at the Ledra Palace hotel, in the UN buffer zone in Nicosia, under the auspices of the Embassy of Slovakia.

Their joint communique, read out by Ambassador of Slovakia Anna Turenikova, says that the leaders and representatives of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot political parties expressed opinions on the issue The importance of land, property and population to the solution of the Cyprus problem as proposed by the hosting party, the Turkish Cypriot United Cyprus Party.

They agreed that land, property and population issues should be dealt according to international law and in respect to fundamental human rights of all Cypriots it is stated. The joint communique says that they reiterated their readiness to work together in order to achieve a federal solution as soon as possible.

[04] PAPANDREOU - BIDEN - MEETING

A White House press release issued after the meeting said that Biden and Papandreou discussed the situation in Cyprus and expressed their full support for the Cypriot-led process, under the good offices of the UN, towards a just and lasting settlement that reunifies Cyprus as a bi-zonal and bi-communal federation.

According to the press release, the Vice President applauded efforts by Greece and Turkey to strengthen their relations.

In his statements, the Greek Premier said that during the meeting he expressed his full support towards the efforts and initiatives of Cypriot President Demetris Christofias to give a new impetus to the efforts to reach a solution in Cyprus and reunify the island.

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