Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades said that the meeting he had on Monday with Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci was constructive, however no new convergences were reached.
Speaking to the press after the meeting which lasted almost four hours, the President said that they exchanged views, concerns and proposals in order to achieve more convergences as soon as possible.
He added that they covered a wide range of issues and that although differences still exist, the effort is to see how through this exchange of views we reach those convergences which will enable us to reach at some point, hopefully within the year, a solution to the Cyprus problem.
Asked whether they reached any new convergences, President Anastasiades replied “not exactly but there was a reduction of the differences or a better understanding of issues that were not quite clear as regard the intentions of each side“.
Replying to another question whether today they discussed issues related to governance or property, or whether they touched upon EU issues and economy, he said that as regards the EU and economy issues “there aren’t such serious problems as to enter into a dialogue“.
According to the President they touched upon a lot of issues which are regarded as core issues in order to reach a solution that will be accepted by both sides and will meet their concerns.
Asked whether with T/c leader Akinci they discussed the political changes in the illegal regime in the Turkish occupied northern part of Cyprus, President Anastasiades said there was no need to , but he did not elaborate further.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. UN-backed talks resumed last year with the aim to reunite the island under a federal roof.
CNA/KCH/GCH 2016
ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY