HOUSE SPEAKER DOWNER

[Agamemnon]

HOUSE SPEAKER DOWNER

House President and President of the Democratic Party Marios Garoyian
has described as provocative and unacceptable the Secretary-Generals
Special Representative to Cyprus Alexander Downers stance.

In statements, Garoyian said he believes there is an issue with Downer
which he will have to discuss with the President of the Republic as
well as with political party leaders in order to convey the message
that this situation cannot continue.

Garoyian was invited to respond to press reports about Downers role
that he has been allegedly using illicit practices with regard to his
mission in Cyprus.

He said that the role of UN representatives is very delicate and very
important and should they should always remain within their mandate,
however what we see is completely unacceptable, conveys the wrong
messages and is misleading, he added.

This, Garoyian said, is not the role of a UN representative, it is not
the role of the UN Secretariat, it is not the role of those who have
set to serve the principles and values of the UN and offer their
services to solve the Cyprus issue, based on the UN Charter, the House
President remarked.

Those who used to sent the message in 2004 that the Greek Cypriots were
going to accept the Annan Plan, are wrong if they are now still sending
the message we will accept a bad solution to the Cyprus issue, that we
will accept a solution that will violate human rights and fundamental
freedoms, if they mean that we will accept a solution with Turkish
guarantees and Turkish settlers or Turkish forces, the House President
added.

It is an unacceptable procedure, a procedure that has no boundaries and
we have an obligation to protect the institutions and our country,
protect Democracy and free dialogue and our own entity both as
personalities and also as political parties, Garoyian concluded.

President Christofias and Talat began on September 3, 2008, direct
negotiations with a view to reunite the country, divided since the 1974
Turkish invasion. The two leaders will meet again this week.