Press Release Parliamentary Assembly Communication Unit Ref: 107a07 Tel: +33 3 88 41 31 93 Fax :+33 3 90 21 41 34 [email protected] internet: www.coe.int/press

46 members PACE President René van der Linden visits Cyprus to promote dialogue Albania Andorra Armenia Strasbourg, 16.02.2007 – René van der Linden, President of the Council of Europe Austria Parliamentary Assembly (PACE), will make an official visit to Cyprus from 19 to Azerbaijan 22 February 2007, during which he hopes to promote dialogue and reconciliation. Belgium Bosnia and Speaking on the eve of the visit, the President said: “There will be no lasting resolution Herzegovina of the situation in Cyprus without serious and sustained dialogue between the two Bulgaria communities, at every possible level. We have already encouraged working contacts in Croatia our Assembly, where two Turkish Cypriot representatives participate in our activities. As Cyprus President of the Parliamentary Assembly, a body that relies on and promotes mutual Czech Republic Denmark respect and open dialogue, one of the main aims of my visit will be to try and bring Estonia people together.” Finland France In Nicosia on Tuesday 20th February, he will meet Cypriot President Tassos Georgia Papadopoulos and other government ministers, as well as the President of the House Germany of Representatives Demetris Christofias. He will also attend a working lunch hosted by Greece members of Cyprus’s parliamentary delegation to PACE and attended by elected Hungary representatives of the Turkish Cypriot community who participate in PACE activities. Iceland Ireland Italy On Wednesday, following a visit to the headquarters of the UN peacekeeping force and Latvia a tour of the Green Line buffer zone, he will cross over to the northern part of Cyprus to Liechtenstein meet Mehmet Ali Talat. Lithuania Luxembourg Returning to the Buffer Zone, the President will hold bicommunal meetings with political Malta party leaders, representatives of civil society, representatives of the Greek Cypriot and Moldova Turkish Cypriot communities in Nicosia and religious leaders. Monaco Netherlands Cyprus has been a member of the Council of Europe since 1961. Norway Poland Portugal Members of the Cypriot parliamentary delegation to the Assembly Romania Russia *** San Marino A press conference will be held at 11.30 am on Thursday 22nd February in the Serbia Cyprus Hilton Hotel. Slovakia Slovenia Contact: Angus Macdonald, PACE Communication Unit, Spain tel : +33 (0)3 88 41 34 39 (Strasbourg), +33 (0)6 30 49 68 20 (mobile). Sweden Switzerland “The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” Turkey Ukraine United Kingdom

The Parliamentary Assembly brings together 315 members from the national parliaments of the 46 member states. President: René van der Linden (Netherlands, EPP/CD); Secretary General of the Assembly: Mateo Sorinas. Political Groups: SOC (Socialist Group); EPP/CD (Group of the European People's Party); ALDE (Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe); EDG (European Democratic Group); UEL (Group of the Unified European Left).