Reunification talks between Greek and Turkish Cypriots touched on some core issues Wednesday, with signs the two sides want to see progress, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon stated.
In a departure from an overriding pessimistic tone used after the last round of talks in New York in November, the Secretary General said the constructive spirit of the latest discussions could lead to positive results.
“It is clear the two leaders want to move closer together,” Ban told reporters after talks between Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu.
Among the core issues discussed were economic affairs, governance, power-sharing and membership in the European Union, officials said. The sides agreed to intensify the pace of negotiations in the coming weeks.
The more difficult issues in discussion were territorial swaps and the property rights of thousands of internally displaced people, of which Ban made no mention.
Christofias and Eroglu were both scheduled to make their own statements, but backed out at the last moment, according to UN officials. Before leaving the UN Geneva headquarters, the two jointly shook hands with Ban, their mediator, while maintaining total silence.
While Ban described the talks as “spirited, substantive discussion” and emphasized that the sides identified key points for future negotiations. However he did imply that differences still remain at large.
“More work needs to be done to reach further convergences on outstanding core issues,” the UN chief said.
The discussions are a “very sensitive process of negotiations,” Ban claimed.
He urged the leaders to move forward, noting that citizens on both sides of Cyprus’ Green Line between the north and south, “want more than talks, they want a solution.”
Ban will present a report to the UN Security Council on Cyprus at the end of next month.
One UN official described the ongoing talks as “make or break,” given upcoming elections on the island and in Turkey.
Ban is pushing for a breakthrough and has expressed concern that the latest round of reunification talks launched in 2008 could fail.
(source: DPA)
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