15/02/2017 09:35
President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades is meeting, with Espen Barth Eide, Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General on Cyprus, ahead of Thursday`s meeting with the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community, in the framework of UN-led settlement talks.
Todays`s meeting is scheduled for 8.30am local time (6.30am GMT) at the Presidential Palace, in Nicosia. Eide will also meet later with the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci, in the Turkish-occupied part of the Cypriot capital.
The meetings are the first to be held following the cancellation of a meeting between the negotiators of both sides, which was scheduled for today. This came as a reaction of the Turkish Cypriot side to a parliament decision, last week, to commemorate in schools a referendum held in 1950 in favor of Cyprus` union with Greece.
"If the Greek Cypriot sides takes no steps, then there is no meaning for negotiations" Akinci said on Monday, noting that the only issue on Thursday`s agenda with President Anastasiades will be the decision by the Cyprus House of Representatives.
He also raised the issue with Eide, during a telephone conversation yesterday and claimed that the House decision is tantamount to a shift in the Greek Cypriot policy with regard to the objective of the talks.
The National Council, the top advisory body to the President on the handling of the question of Cyprus, convened on Monday and issued a unanimous statement, condemning the "deliberate" attempt by circles within the Turkish Cypriot community to distort the position of the Greek Cypriot side vis-a-vis the union of Cyprus with Greece.
In response to Akinci`s remarks, President Anastasiades also issued a written statement yesterday, stressing that he will not allow anyone to question the sincere intentions of the Greek Cypriot side for a solution of the Cyprus issue.
Meeting between Akinci and Eide is scheduled to take place at 11.30am (9.30am GMT).
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. President Anastasiades and Akinci are currently engaged in UN-led talks with an aim to reunify the island under a federal roof. Their negotiators meet regularly between the leaders` meetings.
Todays`s meeting is scheduled for 8.30am local time (6.30am GMT) at the Presidential Palace, in Nicosia. Eide will also meet later with the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci, in the Turkish-occupied part of the Cypriot capital.
The meetings are the first to be held following the cancellation of a meeting between the negotiators of both sides, which was scheduled for today. This came as a reaction of the Turkish Cypriot side to a parliament decision, last week, to commemorate in schools a referendum held in 1950 in favor of Cyprus` union with Greece.
"If the Greek Cypriot sides takes no steps, then there is no meaning for negotiations" Akinci said on Monday, noting that the only issue on Thursday`s agenda with President Anastasiades will be the decision by the Cyprus House of Representatives.
He also raised the issue with Eide, during a telephone conversation yesterday and claimed that the House decision is tantamount to a shift in the Greek Cypriot policy with regard to the objective of the talks.
The National Council, the top advisory body to the President on the handling of the question of Cyprus, convened on Monday and issued a unanimous statement, condemning the "deliberate" attempt by circles within the Turkish Cypriot community to distort the position of the Greek Cypriot side vis-a-vis the union of Cyprus with Greece.
In response to Akinci`s remarks, President Anastasiades also issued a written statement yesterday, stressing that he will not allow anyone to question the sincere intentions of the Greek Cypriot side for a solution of the Cyprus issue.
Meeting between Akinci and Eide is scheduled to take place at 11.30am (9.30am GMT).
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. President Anastasiades and Akinci are currently engaged in UN-led talks with an aim to reunify the island under a federal roof. Their negotiators meet regularly between the leaders` meetings.
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