Cypriot politicians from both communities of Cyprus gathered in Bratislava to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the bi-communal meetings between Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot political parties, which meet regularly at the Ledra Palace hotel, in the UN buffer zone in Nicosia, under the auspices of the Embassy of Slovakia.
Slovakia has prepared in Bratislava in the Slovak Foreign Ministry a commemorative event to mark this anniversary
Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak and representatives of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot parties will address the event, followed by video addresses from the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus, President of Cyprus Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat.
Later on, a discussion will follow among the leaders of the political parties on the topic ''Cyprus today and tomorrow'', chaired by Ambassador of Slovakia to Cyprus, Ana Turenikova. The discussion will be attended also by representatives of the UN, the EP, the EC, the Czech EU Presidency and the Slovakian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
At the end of the discussion, the commemorative Bratislava Joint Communique will be adopted.
After a press conference, to be held midday, the Cypriot politicians will be received by the Speaker of the National Council of Slovakia, Pavol Paska.
On the same day, they will attend a dinner hosted by Vice Prime Minister of Slovakia, Dusan Caplovic.
Among the politicians participating are left – wing AKEL General Secretary Andros Kyprianou, right – wing Democratic Rally (DISY) Deputy President Averof Neofytou, Democratic Party (DIKO) President Marios Garoyian, EDEK Social Democrats Movement First Vice President Marinos Sizopoulos, Deputy General Secretary of the Ecologists and Environmentalists Movement Ntinos Paspalides, United Democrats (EDI) President Praxoula Antoniadou, representatives by the ADIK party and President of the Movement for the Reconstruction of the Center Kypros Chrysostomides.
Turkish Cypriots expecting to participate are leader of the Republican Turkish Party Ferdi Sabit Soyer, President of the Democratic Party Serdar Denktash, while General Secretary of the United Cyprus Party Izzet Izcan, Murat Kanatli representing the New Cyprus Party, Mehmet Birinci from the Socialist Party and Mehmet Cakici from the Party of Communal Democracy are already in Bratislava.
On May 16th, 1989 five Greek Cypriot politicians and three Turkish Cypriots met in Prague, capital of former Czechoslovakia, marking the beginning of the bi-communal dialogue of Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot parties.
The idea to bring Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot politicians together belongs to former Ambassador of Czechoslovakia in Nicosia, Emil Keblusek, of Slovak origin.
The politicians who attended the Prague meeting in 1989 were leader of DISY Glafkos Clerides (former President of Cyprus), leader of the Democratic Party Tassos Papadopoulos (also former President of Cyprus), leader of the AKEL party Demetris Christofias (current President of Cyprus), leader of the Socialist Party EDEK Vasos Lyssarides and Nicos Rolandis leader of the Liberal Party.
The Turkish Cypriots who participated were Ozker Ozgur from the Republican Turkish Party, Mustafa Akinci from the Communal Liberation Party and Ismet Kotak from the Democratic Peoples' Party.
Following the ''velvet divorce'' of former Czechoslovakia, the bi-communal meetings were taking place and continue to take place under the auspices of the Slovak Embassy in Nicosia.
