A/HRC/4/59 page 6 Church in Morphou. On 8 August, 429 Turkish Cypriots travelled for an annual visit to Kokkina in the western part of the island. In the buffer zone, 773 Greek Cypriots visited Saint Marina Church in Dherynia on 17 July, and approximately 70 Greek Cypriots attended services at Ayios Neophytos Church in Troulli on 27 September. 21. UNFICYP also continued to liaise with both sides on the preservation and restoration of cultural and religious sites on the island, and has been requested by both communities to facilitate the resolution of issues regarding the desecration and deterioration of sites with cultural and religious significance. An arrangement, facilitated by UNFICYP, for the installation of a second priest in the Karpas region in the north has not yet materialized, due to disagreement on the nomination of a suitable candidate. 22. Concern has been raised regarding allegations of discriminatory treatment against Turkish Cypriot prisoners in the southern Nicosia Central Prison. Denial of entry of relatives from Turkey to the Republic of Cyprus in practice impedes prisoners’ visitation rights, as does the fact that home visits are only permitted to take place in the Republic of Cyprus. The latter rule also affects eligibility for the more lenient “open prison regime”, for which successful conclusion of two home visits is a prerequisite. UNFICYP has intervened, and in at least three cases, inmates who complained are now benefiting from the open prison arrangement. 23. As far as economic rights are concerned, while the gap in the standards of living between the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots has narrowed, overall economic opportunities in the northern part of the island remain limited. The situation might change further with the implementation of the European Council regulation of February 2006 on establishing an instrument of financial support for encouraging the economic development of the Turkish Cypriot community, and the pending adoption of a regulation on direct trade. III. CONCLUSION 24. The persisting de facto partition of the island of Cyprus continues to constitute an obstacle to the enjoyment of human rights. The situation of human rights in Cyprus would therefore greatly benefit from the achievement of a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem. -----