Cyprus leaders continue UN-backed unification talks

The Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders met today to continue United Nations-supported talks on the reunification of the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, with the current round devoted to the issue of property, according to a senior official with the world body.

Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias and his Turkish Cypriot counterpart Dervis Eroglu held talks in Nicosia for more than two hours, Alexander Downer, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Special Adviser, told reporters following the meeting.

Representatives of the two sides will continue talks later this week and next, before the leaders meet against on 1 November, he added.

The property aspect of the talks, which Mr. Downer today characterized as “fairly complex,” tries to resolve numerous complex claims between the two sides on property seized decades ago.

The talks began in 2008 after the then-leaders of the two communities committed themselves to working towards a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation with political equality, as defined by relevant Security Council resolutions.

A peacekeeping mission known as UNFICYP has been in place in Cyprus since 1964 following an outbreak of inter-communal violence.