Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 11-01-26

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

CONTENTS

[01] GENEVA MEETING - ARRIVALS

[02] DOWNER GENEVA MEETING

[01] GENEVA MEETING - ARRIVALS

The meeting is expected to go through lunch and conclude early in the afternoon. According to UN Secretary-Generals Special Advisor on Cyprus Alexander Downer, the UNSG will make a statement at the end of the meeting, as he did in New York in November.

Arriving at the UN offices in Geneva, Downer said he ``had a dream of a reunited Cyprus``. He was accompanied by Special Representative of the UNSG in Cyprus Liza Buttenheim and Director for the Americas and Europe Division at the Department of Political Affairs of the UN Secretariat and former Acting Special Representative of the UNSG in Cyprus, Elizabeth Spehar.

Shortly afterwards, President Christofias arrived at the UN offices. Invited to comment on Downers statement, he said, We have been dreaming of a reunited Cyprus for 36 years.

President Christofias is accompanied by Presidential Commissioner George Iacovou, Government Spokesman Stephanos Stephanou and his negotiating team.

The leader of the Turkish Cypriots, Dervis Eroglu and his negotiating team arrived at the meeting place some minutes later.

Downer told reporters yesterday in Geneva that he hopes that the meeting of the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus with the SG Ban Ki-moon will be useful and that it will make a useful contribution to the continuation of the Cyprus process, aiming at reaching a solution of the Cyprus problem.

The Republic of Cyprus, which became a full EU member state in May 2004, is divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and since then occupy 37% of Cyprus territory. UN - led Cyprus talks are underway between President of Cyprus Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu with a view to reunify the country.

The UNSG has invited both leaders at a meeting in Geneva on the 26th of January to review progress made so far at the Cyprus talks and decide on the next steps.

[02] DOWNER GENEVA MEETING

In his remarks after meeting President Christofias in his hotel room on Tuesday evening, ahead of today`s second round of talks at Palais des Nations with Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu in the presence of Ban, Downer said he had a preliminary meeting with President Christofias in preparation for today`s meeting.

The UN Special Advisor said the SG is very much looking forward to meeting the leaders, and both of the leaders he met Tuesday are looking forward to the meeting as well, adding ``we hope that it will contribute to the continuation of the process``.

He said he met earlier Tuesday with the Turkish Cypriot leader for 45 minutes. Downer said he was in Brussels for ``a couple of days`` before Geneva, ``had dinner on Sunday night with Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule and met with number of Commission officials from cabinets and President Manuel Barosso, Mr. Fule again, and some members of the European Parliament``.

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