Off the wire
• Roundup: Italian agent Federico celebrates being acquitted of doping charges in Kenya  • Roundup: Sub-Saharan Africa urged to strengthen land management policies  • Russia takes countermeasures to protect against NATO expansion: Kremlin  • Dozens hit by food poisoning at Ukraine's children festival  • U.S. stocks trade mixed around midday after record highs  • Spanish stock market rises 0.43 pct, closes at 8,651 points  • Roundup: NHS financial woes putting strain on Britain's health services  • AU, Iran sign MoU for cooperation in peace, security  • Urgent: Chinese president arrives in Chile for state visit  • Iran's security forces dismantle terror cell  
You are here: 　 Home

Disappointment, concern, despair following breakdown of Cyprus peace negotiations

Xinhua, November 23, 2016 Adjust font size:

Officials and laymen in Cyprus expressed deep disappointment and concern on Tuesday following the breakdown of the latest round of Cypriot peace negotiations against all expectations.

The United Nations (UN), which brokers the reunification negotiations, announced in the early hours of Tuesday that the leaders of the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities had failed to achieve the necessary convergences on criteria for territorial adjustments that would have paved the way for the last phase of the talks.

Cypriot government spokesman Nicos Christodoulides said the Greek Cypriot side was very disappointed and not happy at all that "a very promising process" had failed to reach a compromise.

He also expressed concern at the fact that the Turkish Cypriot side was quick to lay the blame on the Greek Cypriots for the impasse only moments after the talks ended in Mont Pelerin, Switzerland.

"We do not want to play the blame game. But the reference by the Turkish Cypriot side to maximalist positions by the Greek Cypriot side do not respond to reality," he said.

He added that the United Nations which followed the 18-month long process knew very well how the talks have ended with this outcome. Endit