Cyprus-Forum.com

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SOCIALISTS HOLD CONTACTS WITH TWO SIDES IN CYPRUS

A delegation from the European Parliament’s Socialist Group arrives in Cyprus for contacts with the two sides on the island.

A delegation from the European Parliament’s Socialist Group arrives in Cyprus for contacts with the two sides on the island.

As part of its contacts, the delegation will be received by President Mehmet Ali Talat in the afternoon.

Later, the delegation will visit the Republican Turkish Party headquarters in Lefkoşa.

Earlier in the day, the Socialist Group met with the Greek Cypriot Leader Dimitris Christofias.

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SENIOR AIDES OF TWO LEADERS IN CYPRUS MEET TO CONTINUE THEIR DISCUSSIONS ON WORKING GROUPS

Today’s meeting between the two aides, was also attended by Elizabth Spehar – who temporarily took over as the UN Special Representative to Cyprus.

Today’s meeting between Ozdil Nami and Yorgos Yakovu took place at the Ledra Palace in the UN-controlled buffer zone.
In a statement on Thursday, Mr Nami said they have set the 7th of April as a target for the establishment and the functioning of the working groups and technical committees.

He said that the working groups – which are to discuss the essence of the Cyprus problem – will work on ways of bringing the positions of the two sides closer.

He stated that real negotiations on the Cyprus issue will take place between the two leaders.

Earlier, the two sides agreed on the setting up of 6 working groups and 7 technical committees on various issues.

Nami and Yakovu also agreed on the establishment of further working groups and technical committees if necessary, in order to ensure that President of Turkish Cypriots Mehmet Ali Talat and the President of the Greek Cypriots Dimitris Christofias will be able to negotiate at the most effective level on the full spectrum of issues to be discussed.

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The Turkish Foreign Minister told reporters that he proposed his European collocutors to lift the international isolations on the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus if they want Turkey to open its sea and air ports to the Greek Cypriot registered vessels and aircrafts.

Stating that the EU will no longer be able to take on an unbiased role on the Cyprus issue, Mr Babacan said the two sides on the island should prefer to reach a compromise on establishing a partnership state based on political equality.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan has said that the United Nations parameters will be taken as a basis at the negotiations process towards finding a settlement in Cyprus.