Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 11-11-16

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

CONTENTS

[01] PEACE TALKS NEXT MEETINGS

[02] MINISTER OF COMMERCE - INTERVIEW

[03] GREEK CYPRIOT - TURKISH CYPRIOT PARTIES - SOLUTION

[04] UNIVERSITY OF CYPRUS - NATURAL GAS

[01] PEACE TALKS NEXT MEETINGS

Speaking after todays meeting that last an hour, UN Secretary General`s Special Representative in Cyprus Liza Buttenheim said that their next meeting will take place on Monday 28 November.

The idea is to have, in principle, one leaders meeting a week and then there will also be discussions by the UN with the leaders respectively. And this was a formula that was found to be useful by the two at the latest meetings that were held in New York. It will be an intensive phase but we are not calling them all-day meetings, she said.

Asked whether there will also be one meeting a week with a UN representative, the UN officer said that they still have to work out the schedule of the other meetings.

Today what was agreed by the leaders is their meetings with each other which will take place until January and roughly one a week. In some cases there might be two meetings in one week, she said.

She also said that on Monday they will discuss the Governance and Power-sharing Chapter.

Speaking at the Presidential Palace, after the meeting, President Christofias said that todays meeting was a purely procedural meeting. He added that they fixed the dates of the meetings with Eroglu and the UN.

The UNSG suggested the two sides meet again with him in mid January, following another round of intensive negotiations. The aim, he added, is to bridge the gap which divides the two sides on fundamental aspects of the Cyprus problem, something which is difficult bearing in mind the differences, but not impossible.

Cyprus, has been divided since the 1974 Turkish invasion. The latest peace effort to find a negotiated settlement began in September 2008, under UN auspices.

[02] MINISTER OF COMMERCE - INTERVIEW

In an interview with CNA, Antoniadou expressed optimism for the future of the Cypriot economy.

The Cypriot economy has demonstrated it can withstand a lot, she said, adding that if in a couple of weeks we are lucky enough and hydrocarbon deposits are discovered within our Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), then despite the fact that about three years will need to pass before deposits are actually used, the interest of foreign investors will be obvious from day one.

We will witness the first positive results of this new prospect immediately, she pointed out.

Asked whether cooperation with Israel on joint projects for a sub-sea pipeline or a liquefied natural gas plant have been discussed between the two countries, Antoniadou said that some views were exchanged with the Israeli Minister of Infrastructure, adding however that discussions on eventual cooperation are at a purely preliminary level.

[03] GREEK CYPRIOT - TURKISH CYPRIOT PARTIES - SOLUTION

The leaders and representatives of Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot parties held this morning their regular meeting at Ledra Palace, in Nicosia, under the auspices of the Slovak Embassy.

Slovak Ambassador to Cyprus Anna Turenicova, reading the joint communique following the meeting, said that all parties expressed their opinion on whether there is any other way possible for the solution of the Cyprus problem and whether the package deal should be stopped and implement instead whatever is possible.

Moreover, Turenicova added that the parties also expressed their views on the preparation of a framework agreement, which will be supported with Confidence Building Measures.

[04] UNIVERSITY OF CYPRUS - NATURAL GAS

Speaking to CNA Christophides said that next year, the University of Cyprus is planning to create a geological and hydrocarbon unit in cooperation with Ministry of Agriculture, on the basis of an agreement signed.

``The issue of natural gas and oil exploration in Cyprus` EEZ concerns us very much, we have workshops and we have long discussions as it will open new paths in our education``, he added.

He noted that a special committee is set up to examine the needs in various professions that will merge as regards the energy area. These professions, he said, can be mechanics for hydrocarbons, geologists, mechanics of energy, mechanics of environment which we will have to comprise in our program of studies.

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