Cyprus-Forum.com

[halil]

Cyprus leaders have held first meeting of 2009.
President Talat and the Greek Cypriot Leader Christofias met this morning to continue full-fledge negotiations aimed at finding a solution to the Cyprus problem.
The leaders held a tete-a-tete meeting in first hour of the three hours long meeting.

Reading a statement following the meeting, UN Secretary General’s Special Representative Taye Brook Zerihoun said that the leaders have reached a full agreement on the issue of harmonization and cooperation between the federal government and the constituent states or the federal units.

He also said that the leaders are very close to an agreement of full convergence on the issue of hierarchy of norms and they have decided to continue discussions on this in order to overcome the remaining obstacles.
Mr. Zerihoun announced that the two leaders have agree to take up the issue of past pacts during their next meeting which will be held next Monday, the 12th of January.

The UN Chief’s Special Advisor for Cyprus Alexander Downer will be present at the talks which will follow on the 12th and 16th of January.

Meanwhile, President Mehmet Ali Talat has said that mutual understandings over the issues taken up at today’s meeting are very important.
Speaking to reporters at the Presidential palace on his return from the buffer zone, the President said two important issues were discussed at the meeting.

Mr Talat explained that the issue of hierarchy of norms deals with how to bring laws and rules to the same level on the context of constituent and federal states saying there is a considerable convergence on this issue.
He also noted that there is full agreement on the issue of harmonization and cooperation between the federal government and the constituent states or the federal units.

[halil]

Transcript of Remarks by Special Representative of the Secretary-
General Tayé-Brook Zerihoun following the 5 January Meeting

Happy New Year.
The leaders met for about three hours this morning. The first hour was devoted to a tête-à-tête. They have reached full agreement on the issue of harmonization and cooperation between the federal government and the constituent states or the federal units. There are also very close to full convergence on the issue of hierarchy of norms and have decided to continue discussion on the matter in order to overcome the remaining obstacles.
As you know, the two leaders will meet next on Monday 12 January at 3:30pm and have agreed to take up the issue of past Acts at that meeting. Special Adviser Alexander Downer will be here on Friday and will attend the meeting on Monday.

Question:
Mr. Zerihoun could you repeat what the subject of their next meeting is?

Answer:
Past Acts, agreements reached by both sides in the intervening years.

Question:
What do you mean when you say they reached full agreement in harmonization and cooperation between the federal units?

Answer:
On the relationship between the future federal government and the federal units or the constituent states, on what will be the relationship between the two or three entities as it were.


UNFICYP

[Bananiot]

Will the rejectionists start worrying now?

[doesntmatter]

Will the rejectionists start worrying now?

About what, unfinished talks?

Don't forget that there were some "agreements" with past leaders but that didn't get us anywhere either, did they?

[Bananiot]

What do you suggest?

[doesntmatter]

What do you suggest?

Wait and see what happens and don't count our chickens before they hatch. Anything else could lead to more disappointments, as has been proven in the past.

[Bananiot]

Of course, but we need to keep hoping and also, the extend the two leaders are progressing is measured by the amount of noise the rejectionists make.

[doesntmatter]

Of course, but we need to keep hoping and also, the extend the two leaders are progressing is measured by the amount of noise the rejectionists make.

Let's also not forget that we probably owe our lives to those "rejectionists" who kept the two communities from shedding further blood.