Roundup: Cypriot community leaders arrive in Geneva for reunification talks

The leaders of the estranged Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities arrived in Geneva on Sunday to continue their reunification negotiations, saying they have the will to reach a settlement to the four-decade-old problem.

But having in mind that the odds are against them after having failed to clinch an agreement in November despite great expectations, they refrained from saying that they are optimistic.

Cyprus' President Nicos Anastasiades told reporters travelling with him on the flight to Geneva that he was determined and well prepared to work for a solution.

"We have the will and desire for a solution based on principles and values that will allow us to build a modern European State," he said.

Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci who had planned to travel to Geneva by flying first to Istanbul had to make last minute plans because of bad weather in Turkey that led to the cancellation of hundreds of flights.

"We travel to Geneva with political will and determination," he said before boarding a special flight form the Turkish-occupied northern part of Cyprus.

He said he was entering the new state of negotiations starting on Monday without being pessimistic but at the same time noting that there is no need for exaggerated expectations.

"We are expecting a difficult week," Akinci said.

The two leaders are expected to tackle the remaining pending internal issues -- making territorial adjustments and deciding which parts of territory Turkish troops occupied in 1974 will be returned to the Greek Cypriot community.

After three days of talks that will culminate in the exchange of maps showing the proposed boundaries they will be joined by the guarantor powers -- Greece, Turkey and Britain in a conference called by the United Nations.

Turkey, which invoked its guarantor rights to mount the 1974 military operation in Cyprus, insists on retaining these rights.

Having suffered what led to thousands of people being killed and a further 1,000 still listed as missing, Greek Cypriots see red at the mere mention of guarantees and intervention rights.

That issue alone will make or break the negotiations, according to analysts.

The United Nations which preside over the talks are trying to find a way out of the deadlock by proposing a transitional period of several years for Turkish troops to be phased out of Cyprus and guarantees to be abolished. Endit