Cyprus negotiations continue "to create forward momentum:" UN adviser

Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders trying to reach a settlement to the intractable Cyprus problem continued "to create forward momentum," UN Special Adviser Espen Barth Eide said Tuesday.

In a statement after a three-and-a-half hour meeting between Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci, their first after the summer recess, the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to maintain and build upon progress made so far.

"Today they concentrated their discussions on the latest state of play and in particular on property and governance-related matters," Eide told reporters at a compound at the now-defunct Nicosia airport controlled by the United Nations.

He said negotiators for the two sides, Andreas Mavroyiannis and Ozdil Nami, would continue to meet intensively between leaders' meetings "in support of this endeavor."

"They will meet on an almost daily basis in the two weeks ahead," added Eide, who brokers the negotiations as the UN Secretary General's special adviser on Cyprus.

Anastasiades and Akinci are seeking a solution reunifying Cyprus, which was partitioned when Turkey occupied the northern one third of the island in 1974, reacting to a coup engineered by officers of the junta ruling Greece at the time.

Encouraging prospects for a solution after four decades of negotiations emerged when moderate Akinci was elected leader of the Turkish Cypriot community in April.

Firm reports say that both sides aim at reaching an agreement which will be put to separate plebiscites in the spring.

In a separate statement, Anastasiades said he was reservedly optimistic about a solution.

Asked whether there is something in the Turkish Cypriot proposals which strengthen his optimism, Anastasiades said: "I think yes."

Anastasiades and Akinci are scheduled to meet again on Sept. 14 to review reports by their negotiators. Endit