The two community leaders in Cyprus reached agreement Monday on the issue of harmonisation and cooperation between the federal government and the constituent states.
This was achieved during their first meeting of 2009, within the framework of direct negotiations which began last September with the aim of reaching a solution to the island’s 34-year division.
The UN Secretary General’s Special Representative, Taye-Brook Zerihoun, said President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat “have reached full agreement on the issue of harmonisation and cooperation between the federal government and the constituent states or federal units”.
He added that “they are also very close to an agreement, they have full convergence, on the issue of hierarchy of norms and have decided to continue this discussion to overcome the remaining obstacles”.
Their next meeting will take place on Monday, January 12, when they will “take up the issue of past acts”, according to Zerihoun.
UN Secretary General’s Special Advisor Alexander Downer will arrive Friday to attend Monday’s meeting.
Christofias: positive outcome
President Christofias has assessed positively his meeting with Mehmet Ali Talat, saying that the 14th meeting had a positive outcome with a mutual understanding between the two sides.
Replying to questions about the content of his three-hour meeting with Talat, Christofias said that he prefers not to analyse what had been discussed during the meetings, because as he pointed out, he wants to build on those meetings and not ruin everything.
He also noted that during Monday’s meeting he raised some issues, on which he expects answers from Talat.
Asked whether the meetings will become more frequent in 2009, Christofias stressed that the most important thing is not the frequency of the meetings, but the content of the meetings.
“Raising the issue of the frequency of the meetings is counterproductive.”
Christofias, Talat condemn attack against Gaza
Demetris Christofias and Mehmet Ali Talat condemned the attack against Gaza and called on the international community to bring the violence to an immediate end.
A joint statement, issued by Christofias and Talat on Monday, said that “the two leaders condemn the attack against Gaza and the disproportionate use of force applied by the Israeli forces, that has led to huge loss of life of innocent civilians, including women and children”.
“They urge the international community to use its influence to bring the violence to an immediate end,” the statement added.
