Talks On Reunification Of Cyprus Going Smoothly

UN-Backed Talks On Reunification Of Cyprus Going Well, Says Senior Official

New York, Oct 22 2008 1:10PM

The leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities continued their talks today on the reunification of the Mediterranean island, focusing the discussion on the composition of a new executive branch of government, according to a senior United Nations official.

Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat heard from their two representatives on the follow-up meeting held last week – after their regular weekly meeting – to help explain and clarify each party’s position on the question of the federal executive.

“The Leaders then took up the issue themselves and had a constructive exchange of views,” the Special Representative of the Secretary General Tayé-Brook Zerihoun told reporters after the meeting.

“[They] then directed their representatives to carry on these discussions next Thursday,” Mr. Zerihoun added at the press briefing in Nicosia.

Today’s talks, the latest in a series of weekly meetings under the sponsorship of the UN, included a preliminary discussion on the legislature that will continue when the two leaders meet on 3 November.

In May, Mr. Christofias and Mr. Talat committed to a partnership that will comprise a Federal Government with a single international identity, along with a Turkish Cypriot Constituent State and a Greek Cypriot Constituent State, which will be of equal status. The full-fledged negotiations between the leaders began last month with discussions on the issues of governance and power sharing.

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