Property problems obstruct Cyprus talks

Agence France-Presse

Christofias, the Greek Cypriot leader, and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat still disagree over questions involving the loss of properties following a 1974 Turkish intervention sparked by a short lived military coup by Greece. The two leaders will revisit these questions at a later stage in the on-going peace process.

Christofias has made no secret of the fact that there are "serious differences" on the most complex issue of the Cyprus problem.

Before Thursday's meeting with Talat he told reporters: "There are significant differences of opinion and we shall revisit the issue."

After the meeting he said the property discussions had been "cut short" but senior aides would continue discussions to try and reach convergence.