THE PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESMAN  ERCAKICA “GUARANTORSHIP  CANNOT BE A  BARGAINING ISSUE”

Presidential Spokesman Hasan Ercakica has said that the issue of guarantorship can not be a bargaining issue.

Speaking during his weekly press conference yesterday the Presidential Spokesman said that it was possible for the Greek Cypriot side to bring up the issue at the negotiating table, however the Turkish Cypriot side’s attitude on the issue was quite clear.

Responding to claims that the 8-July agreement was put into practice following the meeting between the two leaders on the 21st of March, the spokesman said that 8 July Agreement had passed and that a new process had begun on the 21st of March.

Ercakýca said:

“It is acknowledged that President Mr. Mehmet Ali Talat and the Greek Cypriot leader Mr. Demetris Christofias have reached an agreement during the meeting held on Friday.

In accordance with the said agreement reached on 21 March 2008, Friday, the representatives of the two leaders have met yesterday and re-launched the preparations for the full-fledged negotiations which will aim at finding a comprehensive settlement for the Cyprus problem. The first work carried out yesterday was on the issue of forming the working groups where the issues of substance regarding the Cyprus problem will be undertaken and the technical committees where the day-to-day issues will be undertaken. There was positive advancement concerning the issue. The representatives of the two leaders will come together again tomorrow and carry on with their work. By the end of tomorrow’s work, we expect the formation of the working groups and technical committees to be finalized.

In the meeting the two leaders held on Friday, it was also agreed that the Lokmaci Gate would be opened as soon as the technical preparations are completed.

The works to be carried out within this framework have been defined in two categories. The first category is to conduct a new mine-sweeping work on the route where the crossings will take place and the second one is to enhance the buildings facing the crossing route.

Necessary exchange of information regarding the issue has been completed and contact between the Headquarters of the Security Forces and the Peace Forces has been established. We expect the UNFICYP and the authorities of the TRNC Headquarters of the Security Forces to establish contacts today for the necessary coordination to be undertaken.

 

 

UN  SECRETARY GENERAL BAN:  LEADERS MEETING IS A POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT

The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon has congratulated the two Leaders in Cyprus on the outcome of their meeting which was hosted by the Secretary-General's Special Representative, Michael Moller, on Friday, 21st of March.

This was announced by the UN Spokeswoman Michelle Montas.

In a statement, the UN Spokeswoman said Mr Ban warmly welcomes the leaders' decisions to expeditiously set up a number of working groups and technical committees, and to meet again in three months' time to review their work and start full-fledged negotiations under UN auspices.

‘Mr Ban described the agreement on the opening of a Ledra Street crossing, as soon as technically possible, as a positive step forward’ she added.

 

Expressing United Nations readiness to lend its full support to the Cypriot people in their efforts to reach a settlement, Mrs Montas said that the UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Lynn Pascoe’s mission to Cyprus later this month will help the UN to determine how it can be as helpful as possible to this process as it moves forward.

 

 

MOLLER PAYS A  FAREWELL VISIT  TO PRESIDENT TALAT

The UN Secretary General’s Special Representative for Cyprus – Chief of Mission Michael Moller has paid a farewell visit to President Mehmet Ali Talat.

Moller, whose term in office ends on the 31st of March is expected to be replaced temporally  by Croatian origin Canadian Elizabeth Spehar who is currently working at the UN’s European Affairs Department.

Speaking during the visit, Mr. Moller thanked President Talat for his cooperation during his term of duty and said  he spent great efforts  for finding a settlement to the  Cyprus issue  specially within the last two years  and would leave the island happily.

President  Talat for his part said he was optimistic that a settlement  would be found to the Cyprus issue  and thanked to Moller for his contributions.