US Ambassador to Cyprus urges quick start to technical talks

The US Ambassador to Cyprus, Ronald Schlicher, has urged Cypriot parties to start technical talks quickly, saying that each day that goes by without any negotiation on the Cyprus problem is a wasted opportunity to solve the Cyprus issue.

An opinion poll last month showed that less than half of Greek Cypriots now want to live with Turkish Cypriots, compared with over 60% before the referendum two years ago.

“I think that every day that goes by where there is no negotiation, is a wasted opportunity and I expressed that opinion on many occasions”, the Ambassador said, replying to a question whether after the parliamentary elections in Cyprus it is time for new efforts to solve the problem.

Schlicher expressed the wish that “the parties will engage with the United Nations Secretary General’s Representative to Cyprus Michael Moller and that the talks lead to quick success”.

“We hope to see the earliest possible start of the talks of the committees which deal with issues that parties have agreed to deal with on the technical level”, he added.