Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 08-04-16

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

CONTENTS

[01] COMMITTEES - FRIDAY

[02] PASCOE - SECURITY COUNCIL - CYPRUS

[01] COMMITTEES - FRIDAY

According to an UNFICYP press release, the representatives of Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat have, after a series of meetings, decided on the agendas of the six Working Groups and seven Technical Committees.

On Friday 18 April, the heads of the committees and groups will start their work following a brief ceremony in the United Nations Protected Area of Nicosia. Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) Elizabeth Spehar will preside over the event, which will feature brief statements from the representatives of the leaders, George Iacovou and Ozdil Nami, the press release adds.

President Christofias and the Turkish Cypriot leader agreed in March this year to ask their respective advisers, Iacovou and Nami, to meet in order to set up a number of working groups and technical committees and establish their agendas in the most expeditious way possible.

Iacovou announced Monday he agreed with Nami on the agenda of 13 working groups and technical committees.

The joint Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot working groups and technical committees will begin to work, to prepare the ground for substantive negotiations with a view to find a negotiated settlement that would reunite Cyprus, divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third.

[02] PASCOE - SECURITY COUNCIL - CYPRUS

Responding to questions after he briefed the Security Council (UNSC) on the results of his meetings in Cyprus, Greece and Turkey during his recent visit in the region, Pascoe said that the commencement of the work of the technical committees and working groups will prepare the ground for fully-fledged negotiations under UN auspices for a comprehensive settlement.

Basically the idea is to set the working groups, to work and move forward. If the procedure is a positive one, as we believe it will be, the SG will decide on the appointment for the next phase, which is decided for after ninety days and enter a more substantial discussion, after the meetings of the working groups, he said.

The committees and the groups, comprising representatives of the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot communities, are set to begin work this week, to discuss substantive issues as well as day to day concerns.

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