Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders finalize power-sharing chapter

North Cyprus Newspaper - Online Newspaper

Home > Politics > Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders finalize power-sharing chapter

Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders finalize power-sharing chapter

Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders completed their debate on the "administration and power-sharing" chapter during their meeting on Friday under the full-fledged talks aiming to reunify the divided island of Cyprus.Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat and his Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias held their 16th meeting in at the buffer zone in Nicosia.The two leaders had fruitful talks especially after the positive atmosphere achieved during their latest meeting on Monday, Alexander Downer, special Cyprus envoy of the U.N. secretary-general, was quoted by Anatolian Agency as saying in a statement following the leaders' meeting.Downer said representatives of the two leaders and experts would now give the final touches to the "administration and power-sharing" chapter, and afterwards, the two leaders will meet again on January 28.Talat and Christofias are expected to start discussing the "Property" issue during their upcoming gathering.

Cyprus has been divided since 1964 when Turkish Cypriots were forced to withdraw into enclaves. Talat and Christofias began peace talks in last September after a four-year hiatus, marking the first major push for peace since the failure of a U.N. reunification plan in 2004, which was approved by Turkish Cypriots but overwhelmingly rejected by Greek Cypriots.

"There is a real possibility of reaching a settlement here," Downer separately told Reuters on Friday, but cautioned it was a complex task.Downer said he did not want to put a timeframe on when a deal could be brokered.

"It is an incredibly difficult task, nobody should under-estimate how hard it is after so many years and such deep conflict .. but days like today just help to confirm the view that I'm cautiously optimistic," he added.

"It wouldn't be helpful for the negotiations to impose a timeline on them, I think that would not help to achieve a solution," he said.

The U.N. sees 2009 as the last chance to cut a deal on the island. Officials have warned both sides that the U.N. would not mediate if the leaders fail to reach an agreement by the end of 2009 and that it would end its efforts to solve the problem.

hurriyet.com.tr

16.01.2009

Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders finalize power-sharing chapter

Add a Comment

Subscribe to Newsletter