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Roundup: Cyprus reunification negotiations proceeding at dynamic pace: UN official

Xinhua, July 11, 2015 Adjust font size:

Negotiations between the leaders of the Greek and Turkish communities of Cyprus aimed at reunifying the eastern Mediterranean island are proceeding at a dynamic pace, a United Nations official brokering the talks said on Friday.

"The negotiations are moving at an impressive speed," said Espen Barth Eide, the United Nations Secretary General's special adviser on Cyprus.

He told reporters after a six-hour meeting between Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci that they introduced European Union issues and economic matters in their negotiations on power sharing, property and territorial adjustments.

The island was split into Greek and Turkish Cypriot regions when Turkey occupied its northern part in 1974, acting in response to a coup engineered by officers of the junta ruling Greece at the time.

Eide said that since the leaders had last met two weeks ago, "the most intense period of negotiations to date" had taken place with daily meetings of the negotiators of the two sides.

He added that an upcoming visit by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker to Cyprus on July 16 would provide a good opportunity to further underline the European Union's readiness to assist the United Nations-led process.

"The leaders welcome the European Union's commitment to help the achievement of a comprehensive settlement and to prepare for the application of the E.U. acquis throughout the island," Eide said.

This is the first time the Turkish Cypriots officially commit themselves to accepting an active involvement of the European Union in the negotiations and apply the European acquis, including the basic freedoms of movement, property and domicile.

The change of heart on behalf Turkish Cypriots came after moderate politician Mustafa Akinci was elected community leader in a landslide electoral victory in April.

His predecessors had strongly resisted active involvement of the European Union in the peace negotiations and demanded permanent exceptions in the implementation of the European acquis.

Akinci said earlier this week that Turkish Cypriots should start adapting themselves to European laws and regulations in anticipation of a solution, which has defied more than four decades of efforts to achieve.

Eide said that in line with the new approach, a working group on European Union matters had held its first meeting this week.

He said that parallel to the meetings of the negotiators, working groups on property, the economy and European Union matters were meeting with increasing frequency, making progress on some key issues.

Anastasiades has said that if negotiations keep proceeding at the current pace one could soon start speaking of significant progress.

Anastasiades and Akinci are scheduled to meet again on July 27, before a short summer recession in August. Endit