Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 09-12-16

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

CONTENTS

[01] PRESIDENT - DOWNER - MEETING

[01] PRESIDENT - DOWNER - MEETING

Speaking after a meeting he held with Cyprus President Demetris Christofias at the Presidential Palace Downer said that with President Christofias they had a very nice meeting. We talked about the meeting we had yesterday and the work that will be done by the representatives on Thursday and the preparation for next months meetings. Ill be going back to Australia and be back for the first meeting of the New Year on the 4th of January.

Asked if the dates for the private meetings between Christofias and Talat in their residences have been set, Downer noted that it is appropriate for the leaders to make the announcements the right time. We are obviously working through some details on how January will work out. There will be a lot of focus in January on this issue and so that is what we are talking about at the moment. The leaders are meeting again on Monday. I will not be here but I think after that meeting they will be able to throw more light.

Asked if the UN will be present at these meetings he said the whole process is facilitated by the UN so the UN is clearly present at the meetings.

Replying to a question on why the talks will be intensified Downer said that the United Nations try to help with this process as best as they can. But the final decisions here dont rest with us, they rest with the leaders and on something like the meetings in January and whether the process is going to be intensified or not. It is something I have been talking to the leaders about and this is something they will have more to say soon, he added.

Asked if the leaders have reached an agreement on the executive power he said that is one of the issues they have been discussing up until now, and on which they will need to bridge the final differences.

He added that the leaders have made good progress. Of course there are still some things to be finalized and they are looking at concentrating very heavily in the next few weeks on bridging those differences in areas they have discussed.

Asked which those areas were he replied that these areas concern governance, power sharing, the EU, the economy, and properties.

The leaders of the two communities began talks in September 2008, under UN auspices, to find a mutually acceptable solution to the Cyprus problem.

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