Cyprus Update: Bicommunal meeting with Ban Ki-moon may take place on September 26 says Anastasiades

Cyprus: According to a report that emerged on Tuesday, if it goes ahead, a meeting between both leaders of the divided Cyprus island with the United Nations Sectary General Ban Ki-moon would take place on September 26, 2016.

After his meeting with the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci on Tuesday, Greek Cypriot president Nicos Anastasiades said;

“Certainly after the 25th, possibly on the 26th. It is a date that is being discussed… it will be a meeting between the two leaders with the UNSG,” adding that “Consultations are taking place.”

Tuesday’s meeting was the fifth meeting out of seven between the two leaders as part of a scheduled rounds of intensified talks expected to end on September 14.

Anastasiades said without ample progress and preparation, there will not be a multilateral meeting because such a meeting would not generate the desired results.

“On the contrary, it could lead to a failure, of the ongoing dialogue even, which, I must say, is on a good course,” Anastasiades said.

The two leaders discussed different aspects of the Cyprus problem including the economy, EU matters and others during Tuesday's meeting.

According to Anastasiades, there were no major differences in the two chapters discussed but that there were outstanding issues, adding that convergence was required to close them for good.

Reports from previous meeting revealed that the Turkish Cypriot side had tabled a proposal on guarantees that differs from the state of affairs in place since 1960. But Anastasiades made it clear that it did not mean the Greek Cypriot side would accept the proposal.

“…we have three more meetings. There will be a repeat of the exchange of views and the effort to see how it is possible for everyone to realise that modern states, especially EU members, have no need of arrangements that could be considered as guardianship of one country over another,” Anastasiades said.

Anastasiades also dismissed reports that legal expert Polys Polyviou had resigned from the Greek Cypriot negotiating team over disagreements with him.

“He neither resigned nor I prevent anyone to have differing views on matters of a legal nature,” he said.

“What I seek is fruitful dialogue through which you form a final, more positive view on how to tackle matters,” he said adding that he spoke to Polyviou on Tuesday and he had no intention of resigning.

Source: Cyprus Mail