Roundup: Cypriot community leaders to meet abroad to tackle territorial adjustments

The leaders of the Greek and Turkish communities of Cyprus will definitely have a series of meetings abroad in November to tackle the thorny issue of territorial adjustments in their search for a reunification agreement, government spokesman Nicos Christodoulides said Friday.

Christodoulides, who had accompanied Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades in Brussels for the EU summit, told the state radio that the venue of the negotiations has not yet been decided.

The United Nations European headquarters in Geneva was originally mentioned as a possible venue.

But Christodoulides said that the leaders of Austria and Finland, in meetings with Anastasiades, have offered to host the meetings.

A decision on the venue will be made in consultations with Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci, he said.

The leaders decided to discuss the issue abroad to avoid leaks and reaction by people on both sides who will be left dissatisfied with the arrangements to be decided upon.

In a military operation in 1974 in reaction to a coup by the military rulers of Greece at the time, Turkey occupied 37.5 percent of Cyprus' territory.

Under a blueprint proposed by the United Nations, known as the Annan plan, which was soundly rejected by Greek Cypriots in a 2004 referendum, the Turkish side would keep control of 29 percent of the island's territory.

But Anastasiades, the only political leader to support the plan in the referendum, has promised that he would not negotiate a solution that would be similar to the Annan plan.

His negotiator, Ambassador Andreas Mavroyiannis has gone on record saying that Anastasiades will demand the return of more territory to bring the ratio be closer to the population ratio.

The territorial adjustments will be discussed in association with the return of properties, mostly belonging to Greek Cypriots, which were taken over by local of mainland Turks after Turkey's 1974 military action.

If the two leaders are successful in their bid to bridge differences on the territorial issue, the next move is expected to be a multi-party conference for the discussion of the last pending issue -- security arrangements and guarantees.

Turkey will be called upon to withdraw its occupation troops and relinquish guarantee and intervention rights it obtained under the 1960 treaties establishing Cyprus as an independent state.

A solution to the Cyprus problem would greatly enhance Turkey's prospects to promote its aspiration to become an EU member. Endit