Leaders of Greek Cypriot, Turkish Cypriot communities meet in Nicosia: UN spokesman
16:14, October 08, 2011
UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- The leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities on Friday met in Nicosia on how to bring peace to the divided island and they will meet each other early next week, UN spokesman Martin Nesirky told reporters here.
The two leaders met for six hours in Nicosia in the UN- mediated peace talks, Nesirky said at a news briefing here.
"The (UN) secretary-general's special representative, Lisa Buttenheim, told reporters afterwards that they had a broad discussion, and that they will meet again on Tuesday, Oct. 11," the spokesman said.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish forces invaded the island in response to a Greek-led coup apparently aimed at making it part of Greece.
Numerous UN-mediated attempts to reach a peace agreement over three decades have failed and, more than two years in, the latest effort, seen as the best yet opportunity, has not met expectations.
Some progress has been made on a power-sharing formula under a future federation, but negotiations have run into trouble on the issue of property lost during the war.
The last attempt at a negotiated solution to the Cypriot problem in 2004 collapsed when Turkish Cypriots voted in favor of a UN settlement plan, but Greek Cypriots rejected it.
As a result, Cyprus -- or the southern part ruled by Greek Cypriots -- joined the European Union that year, while the north remained effectively excluded.
Leaders of Greek Cypriot, Turkish Cypriot communities meet in Nicosia: UN spokesman - People's Daily Online