Subject: Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 17-01-12 From: "HR-Net News Distribution Manager" CONTENTS [01] Conference on Cyprus to open on Thursday in Geneva [02] PMs will participate in Geneva conference if solution is close, gov't sources say --------------------------------------------------------------------------- [01] Conference on Cyprus to open on Thursday in Geneva The critical conference on the issue of guarantees on Cyprus will take place on Thursday in Geneva. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres will open the conference at 11.15 am (Geneva time). The conference will take place in the Council Chamber, in the Palace of Nations "with the participation of His Excellency Nicos Anastasiades, His Excellency Mustafa Akinci, the Special Adviser of the UN Secretary General on Cyprus ESPEN Barth Eide and representatives of the guarantor powers, Greece, Turkey and United Kingdom. The EU will also participate as observer." The representation of the three guarantor powers is at the level of Foreign Ministers. The first part of the conference will end at 13:00 and the conference will resume at 18:00 (Geneva time). Meanwhile, according to the program, the UN Secretary General will make a statement to the media at 14:45 in the presence of Anastasiades and Akinci. The arrivals of the heads of the delegation will begin at 9:15 (Geneva time). [02] PMs will participate in Geneva conference if solution is close, gov't sources say The beginning of the conference on the Cyprus issue is expected to be crucial as the stance of all sides and particularly of Ankara on issues of security and guarantees will determine the continuation of the talks. Greece is represented by Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias. However, top government sources said to Athens Macedonian News Agency that "if it appears that they are close to a solution, then the negotiations will be held at prime-minister level." In that case Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras will depart for Geneva. The conference may be extended as it has already been cleared out that it is an open ended procedure. Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci exchanged maps detailing the respective zones' boundaries, during their talks in Geneva on Wednesday, sources said.