Beglitis : We had a very important and I would say very hard negotiation this long night. From our part we have worked in a very constructive spirit in order to find a solution on the statement proposed by the Secretary General. We have made many positive proposals in order to meet our common obligation to restart the negotiations for the Cyprus political problem. Unfortunately we have met many problems, I would say from the Turkish side. [Read more…]

Weston: I am not going to make a comment on optimism or pessimism, we are looking forward to another session this afternoon with the Secretary General and the two leaders and we will see what happens in that session. I am not making a judgment on optimism or pessimism until that takes place. [Read more…]

Alvaro de Soto : You already know the operative part, which is that we adjourned until tomorrow 4pm . I should say first of all, for the purpose of information that the Secretary-General had separate meetings with the leadership on both sides. Subsequently, he had a direct meeting which adjourned a few minutes ago. [Read more…]

Today is Cyprus day at the United Nations and we are pleased to inform you that the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders have arrived in NY, in pursuant to the Secretary General’s invitation. Delegations of the three guarantor parties are also on hand as the SG requested. [Read more…]

Q: Do we have a meeting set?

de Soto : Yes there is a meeting scheduled for the afternoon

Q: One meeting or?

de Soto : Two brief separate meetings just before but the direct meeting is to take place at 4.00 pm. [Read more…]

Q: [inaudible, on Cyprus]

SG: You mean, when is the meeting tomorrow? My team is in consultations with the parties. It’s likely to be in the afternoon. Some of the delegations are arriving today and I think we should give them a chance to relax and not push them into negotiations first thing in the morning.

Q: [inaudible, on Cyprus]

SG: Once the programme is settled – we will let you know. [Read more…]

Question: Just a bit more about what the Secretary General is willing to do with the coming out of the talks tomorrow on Cyprus . Specifically if a deal is able to be reached and planned to go to referenda, does he imagine that it would be possible to leave some issues unresolved that could be sorted out after join the EU? [Read more…]

Q:    Mr. Secretary-General, on the subject of your talks tomorrow on Cyprus , just a couple of little things.  One, sir can you give us a statement on what you hope to accomplish, what the best case scenario would be, whether these talks might continue in Cyprus in the region with Mr. [Alvaro] de Soto.  [Read more…]

The Secretary General wrote today to the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders inviting them to come to New York on February 10th 2004 to resume negotiations on the basis of his plan. The objective of the negotiations would be to put his plan’s completed text to referenda in April 2004, in time for reunited Cyprus to join the European Union on 1 May 2004. [Read more…]

“We had a very good meeting with the Secretary General and I want to tell you that we appealed to the Secretary General that he may immediately call the talks. And I repeated that we are ready to take part in these talks for reaching a comprehensive, self-executive agreement the soonest possible. [Read more…]