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Roundup: Cypriot president vows reunification solution to meet concerns of people

Xinhua, December 3, 2016 Adjust font size:

Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades vowed on Friday that any agreement on the reunification of the partitioned eastern Mediterranean island will meet all expectations and concerns of the people.

"I want to stress and assure Greek Cypriots that no solution will be put before them if it does not satisfy their expectations and does not answer all their reasonable anxieties," said Anastasiades in a televised address.

Anastasiades was commenting on fears that the procedure decided overnight with Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci aimed at concluding the negotiations at a conference in January will offer Turkey the opportunity to maintain guarantee rights over Cyprus.

Anastasiades said that the decision to resume negotiations is a very important development that preserves the momentum towards a Cyprus solution and negates dangers resulting from a protracted deadlock or even a termination of the entire process.

Anastasiades and Akinci agreed to continue negotiations in Cyprus so as to gap differences on issues already discussed and to meet in Switzerland on January 9-11 to exchange maps reflecting agreements on territorial adjustment and the relocation of displaced Greek Cypriots.

A conference also involving Greece, Turkey and Britain will be convened in Geneva on January 12 to decide on security arrangements.

Anastasiades said that before the conference is convened, a thorough and substantive discussion will have taken place on all outstanding issues, including territorial adjustment.

"Progress on these issues will lead us within reach of an agreement, with the creation of the prerequisites for a successful outcome of discussions on the capital issue of security and guarantees," said Anastasiades.

He dismissed criticism that fixing a conference on Cyprus is premature, saying that after 18 months of negotiations, no one can talk about a tight time frame.

At the end of speech, Anastasiades urged for unity. He said that he had convened the National Council, a top advisory body to the president on the Cyprus issue, on Wednesday and he also urged the political parties to avoid unsubstantiated interpretations and positions. Endit