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2nd LD Writethru: Peace talks between Greek, Turkish Cypriots to resume on May 15

Xinhua, May 12, 2015 Adjust font size:

The leaders of the estranged Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities of Cyprus agreed to resume peace negotiations on May 15, after a hiatus of almost seven months, the United Nations announced on Monday.

United Nations emissary Espen Barth Eide said after hosting a dinner for President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci that they will kick off the negotiations by meeting in person again on Friday.

The negotiations were suspended at the end of last October after Turkey sent navy ships and a seismographic ship to explore for natural gas in an area claimed by the eastern Mediterranean island under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Monday's dinner was the first meeting between President Anastasiades, who leads the internationally recognized government of Cyprus and represents the Greek Cypriot community, and Akinci, a moderate politician who swept to an electoral victory last month on his promise to actively work for a Cyprus solution.

The United Nations, which has been brokering the negotiations for more than 40 years, as well as several countries have said that prospects for a Cyprus settlement have brightened up after Akinci's election.

Eide, acting as a special adviser of the U.N. Secretary General, said that at their new meeting on Friday Anastasiades and Akinci will exchange views on the procedure to be followed at the talks between their representatives. Endit