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Roundup: Cyprus's president says there is "historic opportunity" to solve island's problem

Xinhua, November 23, 2015 Adjust font size:

Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades said on Sunday that there is what he termed as a "historic opportunity" to reach a solution to the intractable Cyprus problem.

"Today, after 14 meetings with Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci ... I feel that we have before us a historic opportunity to achieve a viable, functional solution of the Cyprus problem which would meet the expectations of both Greek and Turkish Cypriots."

Anastasiades and Akinci have been engaged in negotiations for the past 7 months in a bid to solve the four-decade old Cyprus problem.

They are nearing the end of a round of intensified talks this month and are expected to arrange yet another round of speeded up talks in December.

The government spokesman has repeatedly stated that the results of negotiations in November would provide clear clues as to whether a solution is possible.

Anastasiades' statement on Sunday was the first one on the prospects for a solution, though he said he could not go into specifics of agreements reached as there has been an understanding that nothing will be considered as agreed upon unless everything has been agreed.

The Cyprus problem has been on the agenda of the United Nations for over four decades and has been marked by several failures to reach an agreement in many rounds of negotiations.

Prospects for a solution were made brighter after moderate politician Mustafa Akinci was elected to the leadership of the Turkish Cypriots, who live in seclusion in the northern part of Cyprus.

Cyprus has been divided into Turkish-Cypriots occupied north and Greek-Cypriots occupied south since 1974.

Anastasiades said the solution must do away with both the military occupation of Cyprus and treaties, under which Britain, Greece and Turkey were named as guarantor powers.

A Cyprus solution will open the way for progress in Turkey's negotiations with the European Union, which have been bogged down because of Ankara's refusal to extend recognition to Cyprus as a state and member of EU.

Anastasiades is looking forward for help by the United Nations Security Council permanent members to facilitate a solution. Endit