Property issue on agenda of Cyprus talks by end of year, says President

End of this year or beginning of 2009 the leaders of the two communities will start discussing the property issue at the ongoing direct negotiations, President Demetris Christofias said after today’s meeting with the Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat.

This issue is not easy, he pointed out, although the principles on which the two leaders should rely on are in place, as he noted. “I am sure that we will face many issues that call for a lot of discussion”, he added.

Responding to questions at the Presidential Palace, President Christofias said that the meeting went fairly well and there was a friendly exchange of views.

Asked why there was no discussion on deadlock resolving mechanism today, he said “we discussed other issues. We had agreed to consult more experts on issues relating to the judiciary”.

At today’s meeting they discussed about independent offices, he added. The two sides put forward their positions on the issue, outlined the positions they agree on and agreed to continue the discussion at the working groups, comprising experts from both communities. “Beyond that there are issues to be discussed at the level of the leaders,” he explained.

President Christofias said that there are still issues to be discussed on this chapter.

He said issues already placed in “the basket of differences” can be retrieved for further discussion.

Christofias said that weekly meetings have been arranged for the next 3 to 4 weeks. The next meeting is planned for Tuesday, 25 November.