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21 MARCH AGREEMENT BETWEEN PRESIDENT TALAT AND GREEK CYPRIOT LEADER CHRISTOFIAS

President Mehmet Ali Talat and Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias met on the 21^st of March for the first time after Christofias won February’s presidential elections in South Cyprus and decided on the formation of a number of working groups and technical committees with the aim of settling both technical issues and day-to-day issues affecting people’s daily lives as well as on the opening of Ledra Street for crossings.

Following is the statement of the two leaders read by Michael Moller, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General and Chief of Mission of UNFICYP following the meeting on 21 March 2008:

“I am very pleased to announce the following on behalf of the two leaders.

The leaders met today in a very positive and cordial atmosphere and exchanged views on a number of issues, achieving a great degree of convergence. They have decided to ask their respective advisers to meet this coming week in order to set up a number of working groups and technical committees, establish their agendas, and to do so in the most expeditious way possible.

In taking full responsibility for the conduct of future negotiations, the leaders have also agreed to meet three months from now to review the work of the working groups and technical committees, and using their results, to start full-fledged negotiations under the auspices of the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

The leaders have also agreed to meet as and when needed prior to the commencement of their formal negotiations.

The leaders have also agreed that Ledra Street will, as soon as technically possible, open and function in accordance with the established practices at other crossings.

The issue of the opening of the Limnitis crossing and other crossings is also on the agenda for the coming meetings of their advisers.”