Athens News Agency: News in English, 04-03-28

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Greek FM Molyviatis, UN envoy Alvaro de Soto meet in Buergenstock

[02] UN chief arrives in Burgenstock for Cyprus talks

[01] Greek FM Molyviatis, UN envoy Alvaro de Soto meet in Buergenstock

Buergenstock (ANA/F. Karaviti) -- Greece's foreign minister Petros Molyviatis met at noon Sunday with UN secretary general Kofi Annan's special envoy on the Cyprus issue Alvaro de Soto, to discuss the procedure to be followed following the submission of the new, revised 'Annan plan', expected on Monday morning.

According to reliable sources, all the delegations have expressed disgruntlement over the fact that they will have very limited time to study the UN plan, which comprises some nine thousand pages, written on four diskettes.

It has also been made known that Annan, who arrived in Buergenstock on Saturday to join the ongoing Cyprus negotiations, will not leave Monday for Tunisia as originally planned, given that the meeting of the Arab League, to which he was invited, has been cancelled.

Greek deputy foreign minister Yannis Valinakis is due to meet separately later Sunday with US state department special envoy on the Cyprus issue Thomas Weston, and with the Russian special envoy on the Cyprus issue Alexei Alexeyev, while at 6:00 p.m. Swiss time (7:00 p.m. Greek time), Molyviatis will chair a broad meeting of Greek officials attending the talks to discuss strategy for the next three days, which are considered crucial.

Afterwards, Molyviatis will attend a reception being hosted by Annan for all the sides participating in the talks, while Greek prime minister Costas Karamanlis is due to arrive in Buergenstock at 9:00 p.m. (Swiss time, 10:00 p.m. Greek time).

The UN chief invited the heads of the four delegations attending the Buergenstock negotiations to a reception on Sunday evening, which will be of a social nature, providing an opportunity to all the sides to discuss the Cyprus issue informally.

Annan, who arrived in Buergenstock on Saturday to head the negotiations process, was conferring constantly with his associates and Alvaro de Soto's team.

Given the postponement, indefinitely, of the Arab League meeting in Tunisia, Annan will have all of Monday at his disposal for talks with the representatives of the four negotiating delegations.

The revised plan comprises the main text of the Fundamental Agreement, numbering some 250 pages, as well as legislation, international treaties, maps on the territorial aspect, and the constitutions of the two constituent states.

There is very little information available on the new draft. Sources said that one new aspect is the inclusion of a list of the members of the Presidential Council, which would abolish the transitional provisions with respect to the executive authority, thus averting a co-presidency for 30 months, provided the proposal is accepted by the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot sides.

Reliable sources said the Turkish side appeared very displeased with the references in the new draft -- the fourth Annan plan -- on the issue of the transitional government.

[02] UN chief arrives in Burgenstock for Cyprus talks

Burgenstock (ANA/CNA) United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has arrived in the Swiss resort of Burgenstock for the UN-led Cyprus talks in a bid to help push discussions forward.

He is to see his special adviser Alvaro de Soto and members of his team who will brief him on developments so far at the talks, between the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot sides. Present in this Alpine resort are also the Greek and Turkish foreign ministers.|

Greek Premier Costas Karamanlis is expected in Burgenstock Sunday evening and Turkey's Premier Tayyip Erdogan is set to arrive on Monday.

Annan spokesman Fred Eckard said on Friday that the Secretary General had asked that all concerned be in a position to make final commitments at Burgenstock.

''He will be personally involved in the effort as it draws to an end'', the spokesman added.

Talks aim at finding a negotiated settlement that would allow a reunited Cyprus to join the European Union on May 1 this year.

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