Leaders to meet UNSG in bid to overcome challenges (adds Akinci)
September 14th, 2016 George Psyllides | Cyprus Mail
Leaders to meet UNSG in bid to overcome challenges (Update 5: adds Akinci)
PIO photo
Reiterating their commitment to reach a settlement, the leaders of the island’s divided communities will hold a joint meeting with the UN Secretary-General later this month, as challenges remained in the reunification talks, it was announced on Wednesday.
“Cognizant of the remaining challenges, the two leaders are committed to continuing and intensifying their efforts in these leader-led negotiations in the coming months with the aim of reaching a comprehensive agreement within 2016,” a joint statement said.
For this purpose, the two leaders will hold a joint meeting with the Secretary-General of the UN in New York on September 25.
Earlier on Wednesday, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said now was the time to reunify the island.
“Europe is a driving force that can help bring about the unification of Cyprus – something I am supporting the two leaders of Cyprus in,” he said during the State of the European Union Address. “It has to be done and it has to be done now.”
According to the joint statement, read by UN Special Adviser Espen Barth Eide, significant progress has been achieved on many of the outstanding issued on the Chapters of Governance and Power-Sharing, Economy, EU matters and Property.
“However, certain substantial divergences still remain.”
The statement was meant to inform on the progress achieved during a so-called intensive round of talks that included eight meetings between the leaders.
The two leaders also exchanged views and positions, in a brainstorming manner, on the Chapters of Security and Guarantees, as well as Territory.
“Although these initial exchanges have demonstrated that the respective views remain apart, there is a strong determination to resolve them in a mutually acceptable manner.”
During their meeting with UNSG Ban Ki-moon, the two leaders will take stock of the state of play in the negotiations and inform him of their achievements to date as well as the challenges ahead.
“… they will request him to intensify his personal engagement in the process in the months to come.”
Anastasiades made in clear that the UNSG’s involvement did not mean him engaging in arbitration, an anathema to Greek Cypriots since the rejection of the previous reunification blueprint, the Annan plan, in 2004.
“That is why it is said in the announcement that it is a procedure, which belongs and is guided by the leaders of the two communities,” he told reporters after the meeting.
Asked if he was optimistic, the president said a prospect for a settlement will arise if the Turkish Cypriot side showed understanding for Greek Cypriot concerns as the latter did towards theirs.
Anastasiades said the leaders could continue their talks on an intensive basis.
“… out intention is to succeed by utilizing the next months. As ambitious as it may seem, it is feasible, if there is mutual understanding towards both sides’ worries, especially on sensitive matters that concern the Greek Cypriot side.”
Anastasiades said he will be briefing the Cypriot people after his return from the UN.
Later on Wednesday, the National Council, the top advisory body to the president on the handling of the Cyprus issue, will convene to be briefed by Anastasiades on the state of play at the UN-led talks.
Following the leaders meeting, Akinci stressed the importance of reaching a comprehensive settlement within 2016.
Extension of the procedure into 2017 involved risks, he said, while a procedure without a timeframe was not a goal and could lead to deadlock.
Akinci said the leaders wanted to agree on as much as possible or on everything concerning the four chapters where there are differences in order to make way for a five-party meeting and reach an agreement within 2016 on the issues of security, guarantees and territorial adjustments.
He added that while in the US, he might also meet with Vice President Jo Biden and Secretary of State John Kerry as they both expressed interest in meeting him.