Cypriot leaders slated to meet with UN chief in New York next month

The leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities are scheduled to meet with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on 18 November in New York as part of the United Nations-backed talks aimed at reunifying the Mediterranean island, the world body announced today.

“The meeting is taking place in the framework of the ongoing negotiation process to achieve a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem, conducted by the two communities under the auspices of the United Nations,” the office of the Secretary-General's spokesperson stated.

Greek Cypriot leader Dimitris Christofias and his Turkish counterpart Dervis Eroglu have been meeting periodically with the aim of working towards “a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation with political equality, as defined by relevant Security Council resolution.”

That partnership would comprise a federal government with a single international personality, along with a Turkish Cypriot Constituent State and a Greek Cypriot Constituent State, which would be of equal status.

Earlier this month, Mr. Ban urged the two leaders to achieve concrete advances in their talks to maintain momentum in the peace process, which he noted has been slow recently.

The Secretary-General follows developments in the negotiations, which were launched in 2008, through his Special Adviser for Cyprus, Alexander Downer.