Cyprus talks at crucial point: UN envoy

NICOSIA – Cihan News Agency

United Nations envoy to Cyprus, Alexander Downer (L), met with the Turkish Cypriot president Derviş Eroğlu Dec 10. AA photo

The talks between Greek and Turkish Cypriots are at a crucial point and both sides are working hard to reach a mutually agreed draft text, according to the United Nations envoy to Cyprus, Alexander Downer.

Downer met with the Turkish Cypriot president Dec. 10 in the morning hours, after speaking to representatives of the Greek side earlier in the day. However, the U.N. envoy chose not to say how close the talks were to reaching a draft statement, simply stating that the negotiations would kick off as soon as a text was mutually agreed upon by both sides.

Downer underlined the sensitivity of the process, adding that both sides wished to feel comfortable with the joint statement, which constituted an important part of the whole process.

The U.N. envoy did not fuel debate however, saying that the fewer details were known, the more successful the process would be.

Downer had further meetings planned during the day.

Turkey had previously voiced hope for a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus dispute so that its membership negotiations with the European Union could get back on track. The rival leaders of the ethnically divided Cyprus have so far failed to agree on resuming stalled talks aimed at reunifying the country. The issue continues to constitute a strong obstacle on Turkey’s path to European Union accession, with the topic frequently dominating the EU agenda.