The leaders of the two communities in Cyprus have decided to accelerate the pace of their meetings, which take place in the UN-controlled buffer zone, in the framework of UN-led direct negotiations which aim to reunite Cyprus, divided since the Turkish invasion in 1974.
President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat held Thursday their second meeting in the framework of the second phase of the Cyprus talks, during which they continued discussion on governance and power-sharing chapter.
UN Secretary-General`s Special Representative in Cyprus Tayee-Brook Zerihoun, in statements after the meeting, said that the two leaders met in private for one hour and thirty minutes, accompanied by their representatives, George Iacovou and Ozdil Nami.
“When they came out”, Zerihoun added, “they told us that they had a very good exchange of views and they gave us some details on what they have decided on the schedule of meetings through October”.
He said that the next meeting, scheduled for the 2nd of October, has been postponed, but the leaders plan to meet on the 7 and 8 of October, and to hold two more meetings the following week, 14 and 15 of October.
“As you know the pace so far has been once a week, so this is quite positive”, the UN official noted.
Zerihoun added that the two leaders have decided that in the interim, their representatives and experts will meet to discuss the proposals that have been submitted by each side on the executive power, “with a view to narrow differences or to come up with bridging ideas”.
The representatives are planning to meet this week.
Asked whether the leaders concluded the discussion on the executive power, Zerihoun replied negatively and said that this was the only issue they discussed during their meeting.