The Committee on Missing Persons (CMP) is in the process of evaluation for the new genetic laboratory that will be chosen to carry out identifications of missing persons, Greek Cypriot member of the CMP Nestoras Nestoros told CNA.
Nestoros noted that the contract with the laboratory in Bosnia Herzegovina expired on July 6 and a new laboratory was expected to be chosen before that date, adding that the CMP had launched a competition with specific terms for the genetic laboratory.
Regarding the rate with which the work of the CMP is being carried out, Nestoros said a new way of working was being promoted with the purpose of expediting identification processes.
The assessment was completed in May and will be discussed at the CMP next week, on the basis of a three-year plan by the CMP to increase productivity by 30%.
Furthermore, the office of the Greek Cypriot member of the CMP was re-evaluating the cases of missing persons that have not yet been found.
Nestoros noted that the six-month exhumation plan that had been prepared by the office of the Turkish Cypriot member would facilitate the evaluation of cases, thus allowing better preparation.
He noted that the plan would be discussed and that the effort was to achieve better management concerning exhumations and the Anthropological Laboratory, through cooperation.
Nestoros noted that at the moment there were about 180 cases pending anthropological analysis. He said there were also cases that had already been sent to Bosnia and the results were pending, adding that there were practical difficulties since some samples did not show the DNA well and new samples had to be sent.
So far, 520 missing persons have been identified by the CMP: 395 Greek Cypriots and 125 Turkish Cypriots.