President of the Republic Demetris Christofias said Friday's meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, in the context of direct talks to solve the Cyprus problem, brought them much closer to agreeing on issues regarding deadlock resolving mechanisms for the legislative and the judiciary.
Returning to the Presidential Palace after the meeting, President Christofias said that ''a good step forward was made in the hierarchy of laws.''
He added that the aides of the leaders of the two communities, George Iacovou and Ozdil Nami, would be meeting next week to conclude work which has already started, namely to record the overall results of the talks on governance.
Furthermore, head of the working group on governance and power sharing Andreas Mavrommatis and member of the negotiating team Toumazos Tsielepis will be meeting with two representatives of the Turkish Cypriot side in order to wrap up the issue of deadlock resolving mechanisms for the legislative and the judiciary.
Replying to questions, President Christofias said explained that the Turkish Cypriot side today presented its own text in response to a proposal by the Greek Cypriot side.
“We have to study this carefully,” he added.
''As I have said, we are very close and what remains to be done is for the experts to reach a common proposal on the wording,'' the President said.
Asked if the chapter on property was the most crucial, President Christofias said ''all chapters are crucial,'' noting that both sides have to rely on the basis of what has been agreed and discuss matters in a creative manner.
This, at least, is the effort to get results, he pointed out.
Invited to make an initial evaluation of the chapter on governance, President Christofias said ''we are making our own assessment,” but cautioned saying that one should not be in a hurry to draw conclusions.
“What I am saying is that things are not bleak, there are issues in which we have made progress and there are issues which are still open and there are disagreements,'' the President stressed.
The President noted that his next meeting with Talat is scheduled for January 28, when they will begin discussing the issue of property.
President Christofias and Talat have been engaged in direct negotiations since early September last year, aiming at reunifying the island, divided since the Turkish invasion of 1974.
