Representatives to continue discussion on property, says Downer

The property issue was at the centre of this week’s discussions between President of the Republic of Cyprus, Demetris Christofias, and Turkish Cypriot leader, Dervis Eroglu.

Their meeting was held at the official residence of the UNFICYP Chief of Mission in the United Nations Protected Area (UNPA) Lisa Buttenheim, in Nicosia and lasted two and a half hours.

In statements after the meeting, UN Secretary General’s Special Adviser, Alexander Downer, said the leaders “devoted most of the discussion to the ongoing issue of property”, noting that their representatives will now take up the discussions for a while and they will be meeting again on Thursday.

George Iacovou and Kudret Ozersay will have further meetings through the course of the following week as well, Downer added.

He also said the leaders will meet again on the 1st of November to review the work of the Representatives and the process will continue from there.

Downer explained that “there’s a lot to the property issue, there are a lot of aspects to it” and that it is “a fairly complex issue. And I think, bearing all that in mind I think it’s important that work be done at the representatives’ level. When they report to the leaders, the leaders give them instructions and guidance. That’s how the process works,” he explained.

To a remark whether it would have been better if it was a simultaneous process, if there are more frequent meetings of the leaders at the same time, Downer replied “I’m not sure of the logic of that. I think the leaders…they don’t need to review every couple of days, or every four days or three days the work of the representatives. But at certain points, at certain junctures, they need to. So I think that’s probably the right way to handle it.”

Asked if they have achieved any kind of progress, Downer said “they are continuing to work away at it. It’s a big and a complex area, the property question. So, they’re working at it,” he concluded.
Source: Cyprus News Agency