A/HRC/25/21 informal dinner hosted by the United Nations. The sides began engaging directly again on 12 September 2013, at the level of the representatives of the leaders, to prepare the ground for a resumption of full-fledged negotiations. Throughout 2013 and since July 2013 in particular, the Office of the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Cyprus meets regularly with the parties and relevant national, regional and international actors to maintain momentum in the peace process, keep attention focused on a resumption of talks at the earliest opportunity, and prepare for a new round of talks. From April 2012 to April 2013, the Office of the Special Adviser also worked on cataloguing all the agreements and convergences reached during the period 2008-2012 and on developing new approaches for addressing remaining divergences in a more results-oriented process. According to information received from the Office, since September 2013, the two representatives of the leaders have been intensively discussing the drafting of a joint communiqué, which would be issued after the first leaders’ meeting to officially mark the resumptions of negotiations. II. Challenges for the implementation of international human rights standards in a protracted conflict 5. During the period under review, various United Nations treaty bodies and special procedures mandate holders voiced their concern at factors and difficulties impeding the implementation of international human rights standards on the whole island in view of the protracted conflict in Cyprus. In this context, treaty bodies and special procedures addressed their recommendations and questions to Cyprus, Turkey or the de facto authorities in the northern part of the island, respectively. 6. Following consideration of the periodic reports of Cyprus on 15 February 2013, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women observed that, while it was aware that the State party did not exercise control over all of its territory and was thus unable to ensure the practical realization of women’s rights in areas not under its control, it remained concerned that the political situation continued to hinder the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women in the region outside its effective control, and regretted that no information or data on the situation of women living in this region could be provided.3 7. Similarly, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination noted in its concluding observations, adopted on 30 August 2013, that Cyprus did not exercise control over all of its territory and was thus unable to ensure full application of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. The Committee remained concerned that the current political situation hindered the efforts to protect vulnerable groups covered by the Convention in the territory of the Republic of Cyprus.4 The Committee also supported the recommendations of OHCHR with regard to addressing the underlying human rights issues and causes, including for those groups and communities whose rights are guaranteed by the Convention.5 8. In its list of issues prior to the submission of the fourth periodic report of Turkey, the Committee against Torture requested information from the State party on measures taken to ensure effective, transparent and independent investigations into all outstanding cases of alleged disappearances, including the large number still outstanding from the 1974 3 4 5 4 CEDAW/C/CYP/CO/6-7, para. 4. CERD/C/CYP/CO/17-22, para. 6. Ibid., para. 7, and A/HRC/22/18, para. 56.