A/HRC/19/22 reconciliation between the two communities, UNFICYP facilitated more than 180 bicommunal events, with the participation of more than 9,000 people during the reporting period from 1 December 2010 to 30 November 2011.5 5. The process of full-fledged negotiations between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot sides, aimed at finding a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem, was formally launched under United Nations auspices on 3 September 2008. In July 2008, the Secretary-General appointed his Special Adviser on Cyprus with the mandate to assist the parties in the conduct of the negotiations. Since then, the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders have met 135 times, including 46 meetings held between 1 December 2010 and 30 November 2011.6 During the latter period, the Secretary-General met with the Greek Cypriot leader, Demetris Christofias, and the Turkish Cypriot leader, Derviş Eroğlu, in Geneva on 26 January and 7 July, as well as in New York on 30 and 31 October. Since July 2011, considerable advances have been made in the areas of the economy, European Unionrelated matters and internal aspects of security; however, much less progress has been made in the areas of governance, property, territory and citizenship matters. 7 The SecretaryGeneral noted the positive, productive and vigorous discussions held on 30 and 31 October 2011, with both leaders affirming to him their belief that a settlement was possible and within reach. 8 The Secretary-General invited the two leaders to meet with him again in January 2012, with the expectation that all internal aspects of a settlement will have been resolved by then in order to move to a multilateral conference shortly thereafter.9 6. In addition, meetings were held between the representatives of the two leaders and technical meetings at the expert level. Since September 2008, the technical committees on crime and criminal matters, cultural heritage, health matters and the environment continued to meet on the implementation of confidence-building measures intended to improve the daily lives of Cypriots. The remaining three technical committees, on economic and commercial matters, crisis management and humanitarian matters, which were dormant since 2008, resumed their work in 2011.10 II. Human rights concerns 7. The persisting division of Cyprus continues to have consequences for a number of human rights issues on the whole island, including the right to life and the question of missing persons, the principle of non-discrimination, freedom of movement, property rights, freedom of religion and cultural rights, freedom of opinion and expression, and the right to education, as well as with regard to a gender perspective. 8. In the core document forming part of the reports of State parties to United Nations treaty bodies, transmitted on 23 May 2011, the Government of Cyprus stated that it had been “prevented by armed force from exercising its authority and control, and ensuring implementation and respect of human rights in the occupied area.”11 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 S/2011/332, para. 18; S/2011/746, para. 20. See www.uncyprustalks.org/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=3046. See www.uncyprustalks.org/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=5058. S/2011/746, para. 4. Ibid. S/2011/498, para. 15. See also www.uncyprustalks.org/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=2484. HRI/CORE/CYP/2011, para. 72. 5