Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 11-12-01

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

CONTENTS

[01] Leaders meeting focuses on external relations

[02] President: We exchanged papers on foreign policy

[03] Minister has contacts ahead of Cypriot EU presidency

[04] Ashton on EU-NATO ties: EU consists of 27 member states

[01] Leaders meeting focuses on external relations

The leaders met for around an hour and a half today in a very constructive spirit and a positive frame of mind. They concentrated their discussion on governance and power sharing with a particular, but not exclusive focus on external relations, UN General Secretarys Special Adviser Alexander Downer told reporters after the meeting.

The next meeting of the two leaders is set for next Monday. As a follow up from todays discussion there will be some discussion by the representatives and their expert teams in the next few days.

The Special Representative also announced that the next meeting between the leaders of two sides and the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will most likely take place between the 22nd and the 24th of January.

Asked whether the UN is losing patience with the process, Downer said that they are not losing patience, but they are just doing what they can to make sure that their contribution is effective without being mediators and arbitrators.

Its not about patience or impatience, we havent lost patience with the process but its about making sure that we get good results and we, for our part are only here to help, its a Cypriot-own and Cypriot-let process, he said, adding that the UN are providing the best support they possibly can, with lot of very high quality people working there.

He expressed the hope that this phase of the talks that will lead up to the Green Tree II meeting and will be really constructive.

He also said that the UN hope that by the end of the Green Tree meeting, namely over the next couple of months and through the days in Green Tree, there will be some really good results.

Thats what our ambitions and targets are here and we will obviously have to see by the time we get to the end of the Green Tree meeting, what the Secretary General wishes to do and how he wishes to take the progress forward, but thats a hypothetical situation at the moment, he added.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. The leaders of the two communities are currently engaged in UN-led negotiations with an aim to reunify the island.

[02] President: We exchanged papers on foreign policy

In statements to journalists on his return to the Presidential Palace after the conclusion of his meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu, President Christofias said that talks continued on the chapter on governance and power sharing.

``We exchanged papers on issues concerning foreign policy. A meeting will take place between our special advisors in an effort to reach more convergences``, he noted.

Invited to comment on press reports on the draft report of the UN Secretary General on the renewal of UNFICYP`s (UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus) mandate, the President refrained from commenting, urging journalists to wait for the official report.

[03] Minister has contacts ahead of Cypriot EU presidency

The Cypriot Minister met with EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, Laslo Andor, whom she briefed on the priorities of the Cypriot Presidency.

Cyprus` priorities, she said, include strengthening Europes social dimension, action to promote youth employment, as well as enhancing relations with the social partners, Non Governmental Organisations, and local administration authorities for the implementation of the Europe 2020 Strategy.

She also informed him about the employment situation in Cyprus, noting the rise in unemployment.

[04] Ashton on EU-NATO ties: EU consists of 27 member states

Ashton`s statement was made in the framework of the EU Meeting of Ministers of Defence, which took place in Brussels.

Cyprus was represented at the meeting by Minister of Defence Demetris Eliades.

According to a press release by the Ministry of Defence, during the meeting, which was chaired by Ashton, the EU Ministers discussed relations between the EU and other international organisations, like the UN, NATO and the African Union.

During the meeting, Minister Defence of Letvia, Artis Pabriks, claimed that relations between the EU and NATO are hampered by the Republic of Cyprus and said that the NATO General Secretary favors cooperation between the EU and NATO by sidelining the Republic of Cyprus.

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