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Cyprus PIO: News Update in English, 99-12-06Cyprus Press and Information Office: News Updates in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>Monday, 6 December 1999[01]Proximity talks aimed at preparing the ground for a comprehensive settlement to the Cyprus problem began at the UN headquarters last Friday with separate meetings between the UN Secretary-General Mr Kofi Annan and President Glafcos Clerides, and the Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash. Each meeting lasted approximately 75 minutes.Replying to journalists' questions before the talks, the UN Secretary General expressed the hope that serious discussions will take place on substantial issues in search of a comprehensive settlement. "I don't expect a miraculous solution. As I've said, we shouldn't have unrealistic expectations that at this round we're going to be able to solve the Cyprus crisis, but we're going to try to move the process forward", he said. He expressed satisfaction that both parties "have come determined to engage in a meaningful dialogue". In a brief statement to the press after the meetings, the UN Secretary General said: "As long as we are talking, we are making progress." Asked how the meeting went President Clerides said: "You can see we are smiling." He refrained from making any comments on the content of the talks respecting the news black out requested by the Secretary General. According to a UN announcement, the proximity talks will continue today. At 11am there will be a meeting between the UN Secretary-General's Special Advisor for Cyprus Mr Alvaro de Soto and President Clerides and at 12.45 pm Mr De Soto will hold a meeting with the Turkish Cypriot Leader Rauf Denktash. [02]The UN Secretary General's Spokesman Mr Fred Eckhard announced during his daily press briefing last Friday that on Tuesday 7 December, the Security Council will hold consultations on Cyprus and that on Wednesday 8 December, it will have a formal meeting on the extension of the mandate of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus.Replying to questions, Mr Eckhard said that the US President's Special Emissary for Cyprus Mr Alfred Moses did not deliver a letter from US President Bill Clinton to the UN Secretary General, for technical reasons. Mr Moses, he said, expressed orally the support of the United States Government for the proximity talks that had began. [03]Cyprus Defence Minister Mr Socrates Hasikos, who is on an official visit to Moscow, had a meeting last Friday with his Russian counterpart Mr Igor Sergeyev. During the meeting the two Ministers exchanged views on military and technical cooperation between the two countries, the Cyprus problem and Cyprus/ EU accession course.In the afternoon during an official ceremony, the two Ministers signed a protocol on supplements and amendments to the Russo-Cyprus intergovernmental agreement on military-technological cooperation. From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/Cyprus Press and Information Office: News Updates in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |