Cyprus settlement possible in 2016 through rapid progress: president

Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades told European Union ambassadors on Thursday he feels confident that a settlement to the long-standing Cyprus problem "is still possible in 2016," provided the parties engaged in peace negotiations exhibit a serious approach.

"I am confident that more rapid progress can be achieved in the coming months," Anastasiades told a gathering of the heads of EU diplomatic missions in Nicosia attending a lunch on the occasion of the conclusion of the Dutch EU rotating presidency.

He said this will be made possible through a new approach aimed at tying up loose ends in the negotiations Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci have been engaged in since May 2015.

Anastasiades said they would discuss one of nine thematic clusters of issues in twice weekly meetings.

"Our discussions will be targeted, results-oriented and practical rather than merely theoretical," he added.

Anastasiades said they will discuss the chapters of power sharing in a federal state, the economy, EU and the properties left behind by people forced out of their homes when Turkish troops controlled part of Cyprus in 1974, in reaction to a coup by Greek army officers.

After divergences on these issues are minimized, Anastasiades said tough issues such as the practical implementation of a solution and of territorial adjustments and security would be discussed. Here, the role of Turkey will be crucial, he said.

These will involve reducing territory from the present about 37 percent controlled by Turkish troops down to closely the ratio of the Turkish population of the eastern Mediterranean island and doing away with guarantees dated since 1960.

Turkish Cypriots comprise about 20 percent of the nearly 1.2 million population but their numbers have been beefed up by mainland Turks, many of whom are entitled to Cypriot nationality through birth or marrying local people.

Figures published in 2015 showed that mainland Turks outnumbered the local population by several thousand.

Anastasiades told the EU ambassadors that Turkey's contribution in tangible terms is vital in the negotiations.

"There is no solution that can be reached without Turkey's input and we do expect that Turkey will take concrete steps towards this end," he said.

He added that a solution will reap many benefits for Turkey, including progress in its negotiations for EU accession, sharing the benefits of eastern Mediterranean natural gas and doing away with the expense of financing the administration in northern Cyprus and of keeping there more than 40,000 troops. Endite