Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders hold reunification talks

Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders hold reunification talks

2011-03-01 01:21:53 GMT+7 (ICT)

UNITED NATIONS (BNO NEWS) -- Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders on Monday held the first of two meetings, under United Nations sponsorship, for the reunification of the Mediterranean island.

"The leaders had a good and long discussion today for around two and a half hours," said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Adviser on Cyprus, Alexander Downer. "It was a good opportunity for them to talk about a range of issues."

Greek Cypriot leader Dimitris Christofias and his Turkish Cypriot counterpart, Dervis Eroglu will meet again on Friday. The upcoming meeting will focus on governance and power-sharing.

"All chapters are being negotiated with the aim of increasing the points of convergence on the understanding that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed," added Downer.

Cyprus has been split for approximately 50 years in a Greek-controlled side and a Turkish one. Since 2008, the two leaders have met for more than 90 times in UN-sponsored talks.

The two sides are negotiating the establishment of a federal government with a single international personality in a bi-zonal, bi-communal country, with Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot constituent states of equal status.

Representatives for Christofias and Eroglu will also meet on Wednesday to discuss issues ahead of Friday's top-level meeting. In January, UN Secretary-General Ban met with both leaders in Geneva and both sides agreed to intensify the reunification talks.

"The talks could founder fatally if substantive agreement is not reached within the next few months. A critical window of opportunity is rapidly closing," said the UN Secretary-General last December.

Since 1964, the United Nations established a peacekeeping mission known as UNFICYP in Cyprus following an outbreak of inter-communal violence.

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