Cyprus: UN chief calls on both sides to take steps forward over next month

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today that he expected the two sides in the Cyprus problem will make substantial progress before he holds formal talks with them next month as part of long-running United Nations-backed efforts towards the reunification of the Mediterranean island.

In a meeting with Dervis Eroglu, leader of the Turkish Cypriot community, Mr. Ban discussed the status of the negotiations between the Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots to find a comprehensive solution to the problem.

The Secretary-General encouraged the Turkish Cypriot leader to continue his efforts to increase convergences on all the “chapters,” or key topics under consideration, according to information released by a spokesperson for the UN chief.

Mr. Ban underlined his expectation that both sides will “substantially move the process forward” before his next scheduled meeting with them in late October.

The UN-sponsored talks began in 2008 with the aim of setting up a federal government with a single international personality in a bi-zonal, bi-communal country, with Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot constituent states of equal status.

During today’s meeting Mr. Eroglu and Mr. Ban also discussed how to reduce tensions in the region.