NICOSIA - President Christofias has sent the political parties that participate in National Council, the general framework of the positions of the Greek Cypriot side that were submitted during the ongoing negotiations for a solution of the Cyprus issue, Government Spokesman Stephanos Stephanou said.

In statement to the Press on Tuesday, Stephanou said that the general framework constitutes the positions the Greek Cypriot side has submitted to the negotiations so far, adding that the general framework has not been given to the Turkish Cypriot side and it has not been discussed during the meeting of the two leaders with UN Secretary General in Greentree.

Along with the general framework, the document with the convergences of January 29, 2010 has also been sent to the political parties. In addition, Stephanou said that prior to the Greentree meeting the convergences that have been achieved on secondary issues of the home security and economy chapters had also been sent to the parties.

Stephanou said that now, the political parties have all the documents. He noted that in 2009, the government gave to the political parties the document with the two sides’ convergences, which had been achieved in August 2009.

Asked about the content of the general framework of the Greek Cypriot positions, Stephanou pointed out the term of confidentiality, which should be observed during negotiations and noted that although many things are well known and the aforementioned documents could be in the agenda of all-day meetings of the National Council, the government wishes to maintain confidentiality.

Replying to a question if the general framework is an outline of the solution, Stephanou said that the general framework constitutes the positions that the Greek Cypriot side has submitted to the talks. “Some call it the outline of the solution, but it is not”, he added.

Invited to comment on an article published in the Turkish Cypriot Press saying that the Turkish Cypriot leader has changed his position on the issue of weighted-voting, Stephanou noted that the problem is not so much the Turkish Cypriot side’s change of position on the weighted-voting, that on the cross-voting.

“The problem is the cross-voting and it is very well know the position of the Greek Cypriot side that it does not discuss the rotating presidency without the cross-voting”, he said and added: “These two go together. There is no sense to discuss the rotating presidency without the cross-voting and off course, the weighted-voting, and this we have made it clear to the UN and to the Turkish Cypriot side as well”.

Asked if a new meeting between the two leaders has been determined, Stephanou replied negatively. He also replied negatively to the question whether the two sides have concluded the exchange of positions on the chapter of property.

President Demetris Christofias briefed on February 2, 2012 the National Council, the top advisory body to the President on the Cyprus problem, on the results of his meetings with the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu in Greentree, New York on January 22-24. The body will convene again on February 15 and 17 for two all-day sessions to continue discussions on all issues of the Cyprus problem.