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EU Council president promises European support in search for Cyprus solution

Xinhua, September 11, 2015 Adjust font size:

The European Union will throw its weight behind efforts to solve the intractable Cyprus problem, a top EU official said on Friday.

"The European Union is ready to provide whatever practical support both parties and the United Nations would find most useful," said EU Council President Donald Tusk after talks here with Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci.

The two leaders have been engaged in sped-up negotiations since Akinci was elected leader of the Turkish Cypriot community in April, in a renewed drive to reunify the eastern Mediterranean island.

Cyprus was partitioned into a Greek Cypriots occupied south and a Turkish Cypriots occupied north in 1974.

The problem has continued despite United Nations-brokered negotiations which have been going on for almost 40 years.

Tusk said the next three months would be critical in eliminating obstacles to mutual understanding and trust.

"I see a real chance to solve this with both parties committed to achieving a lasting solution. This is an historical moment and should not be missed," said Tusk, adding he was personally ready to do whatever it took not to miss this opportunity for resolution.

"The European Union will continue its full and resolute support to the settlement process within the UN framework," Tusk said.

The inability to solve the Cyprus problem has nearly scuttled Turkey's long drive to join the European Union, after most of its negotiating chapters were put on ice.

Greek Cypriot negotiator Andreas Mavroyiannis gave a rare insight into the negotiations, saying that by the end of the year he would have a better picture as to the prospects for a Cyprus solution.

He said the distance which separates the two sides on some issues is long, but added that after Akinci took over as leader of the Turkish Cypriots, some extreme approaches followed by his predecessors, such as a two-state solution, were done away with.

"Both leaders speak about a common vision for a united country under a federal solution," he said. Endit