Cyprus Talks

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
12/09/2008 12:28

U.N. chief urges Cypriot leaders to show wisdom



U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders to demonstrate their political leadership with a sense of flexibility and wisdom, saying "they should look to the future of the Cypriot people."





Cyprus problem was going on for 40 years and it should be resolved as soon as possible, U.N. chief was quoted by Anatolian Agency as telling a press conference at the U.N. Headquarters.



Ban said Cypriot leaders should demonstrate flexibility, especially at discussions on power-sharing, governance and property rights.



He added leaders should also go beyond current issues and look to the future.



Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali discussed Thursday power-sharing and governance in their first substantive meeting aimed at reunifying the divided island, and are to meet again next week to continue negotiations.



The meeting at Nicosia's abandoned airport in the U.N.-patrolled buffer zone followed the ceremonial launch of official negotiations a week ago.



The two leaders are expected to meet at least once a week in a bid to find a settlement.



The negotiations launched on Sept. 3 mark the first major push for peace since the failure of a U.N. reunification plan in 2004, which was approved by Turkish Cypriots but overwhelmingly rejected by the Greek Cypriots.