Cypriot leaders meet to narrow differences in unity solution

The leaders of the estranged Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities had yet another meeting on Saturday, focusing on narrowing their differences on core issues in their quest for a solution reunifying the eastern Mediterranean island.

Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci met for two and a half hours in the presence of a United Nations official, continuing discussion of the thorny properties issue.

They are trying to define criteria for the future of properties left behind by their owners when Turkey occupied the northern part of Cyprus in 1974, forcing about 170,000 Greek Cypriots out of cities and villages.

Turkey acted in response to a coup planned by the military rulers of Greece at the time.

Government spokesman Nicos Christodoulides said the leaders exchanged views and planned their next steps.

"The two negotiators were instructed on the work that needs to be done, with particular emphasis on narrowing divergences," said Christodoulides.

The spokesman said ahead of the meeting that they would mainly deal with the properties issue, which is inter-connected with the issue of territory that will be returned to the Greek Cypriot community in the framework of a solution.

Espen Barth Eide, a Norwegian diplomat acting as a broker on behalf of the U.N. Secretary General, said the two leaders have already reached a 90 per cent agreement on the properties issue.

Christodoulides said that there is an understanding that the legal owners of the properties will be given the chance to state first what they want to do with their properties - get them back, exchange them with other property, or get compensation.

But he noted that there is a long list of criteria to be used in deciding who will finally get the property, depending on its present state.

Anastasiades and Akinci are scheduled to meet again on Monday to continue their discussions. Endit