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SV Kyprianou kissing hands of Makarios while other Government ministers follow. (5 shots)
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GV EXTERIOR Parliament Building.
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GV AND SV INTERIOR of Parliament Building. Kyprianou holding meeting with other Greek Government Ministers. (4 shots)
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SV Ministers standing in silence.
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SV Kyprianou meeting with four top government ministers. (5 shots)
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Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Greek Cypriot political leaders have begun planning for the election of a successor to the late President Makarios, who died on Wednesday (3 August).

SYNOPSIS: Before the leaders met they paid their respects before the open coffin containing the body of Archbishop Makarios. Acting President, Mr. Spyros Kyprianou, led party leaders in kissing the hand and robe of the late Greek Cypriot leader. Thousands of mourners, including small children, queued for hours to file past the body lying in state in Nicosia's historic Saint John's Cathedral. In a massive show of grief, the crowds wept before the body of the first President of Cyprus as it lay beneath the high vaulted roof hung with chandeliers facing an ornate gold altar covered with icons.

The heads of government later met to discuss the problem of two forthcoming elections....one within 45 days, as required under the constitution, to chose an interim President and the second to be held in February at the official end of the Presidential term.

Mr. Kyprianou said the party leaders were considering the idea of putting forward only one candidate for the first election. This would enable the chosen candidate to become President automatically for the inter-regnum. the second election in February would be a fully fledged poll for Presidency. The prime candidate to lead the Greek Cypriot population is Mr. Kyprianou, who was President of the House of Representatives before the death of Archbishop Makarios. Another possible contender for the position of interim President is Mr. Tassos Papadopoulos, an independent member of Parliament currently heading the Greek-Cypriot negotiating team attempting to solve the crisis involving Turkey's invasion of the island in 1974.