CYPRIOT LEADERS ENCOURAGED BY PROGRESS IN UN-BROKERED UNITY TALKS

CYPRIOT LEADERS ENCOURAGED BY PROGRESS IN UN-BROKERED UNITY TALKS
New York, Mar 30 2010 11:10AM
Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders today expressed their appreciation of United Nations efforts to reunite the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, saying important progress had been made in recent talks between the two sides.

"After many meetings that have taken place to date, and our discussions on all aspects of the Cyprus problem, we are encouraged by the important progress we have made so far on the
Chapters of Governance and Power Sharing, EU [European Union] Matters and the Economy and we are convinced that with perseverance we shall achieve a comprehensive settlement," the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mehmet Ali Talat, and his Greek Cypriot counterpart, Dimitris Christofias, said in a joint statement.

"We underscore the fact that negotiations are being conducted under the overriding principle of the 'integrated whole approach,' which means that 'nothing is agreed unless everything is agreed'," the two leaders said in the statement, which was read on their behalf by the Secretary-General's Special Adviser Alexander Downer for Cyprus after the latest round of talks in Nicosia.

The two leaders said they were convinced that their "mutual concern for the common good of
the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots" and their will for a "comprehensive solution" will soon lead to an exhaustive discussion of the remaining aspects of the problem and the
gaps between their positions to achieve a mutually acceptable solution that will be put to simultaneous referenda.

While the negotiations remain confidential, it is recognized that the leaders may explain to their communities the progress made so far and the differences that still need to be resolved, the joint statement added.

A UN peacekeeping mission (known as UNFICYP) has been in place on the island since 1964 after an outbreak of inter-communal violence.
Mar 30 2010 11:10AM
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