Cyprus President, Nicos Anastasiades, and Turkish Cypriot leader, Mustafa Akinci, began on Monday morning a very substantive and constructive discussion on the territorial adjustment criteria and continue their crucial discussion in the afternoon.
Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades (L) – Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci (R)
The criteria concern the percentage of the territory of the constituent states, the number of Greek Cypriot refugees who will return to their properties under Greek Cypriot administration and the percentage of the coastline for each side.
Reliable sources, close to the talks, have said that it is difficult but realistic for Anastasiades and Akinci to reach a conclusion during their negotiations which aim to reach an agreement on the territorial adjustment criteria, then draft a map based on these criteria and set out a date for a multi-party conference on the issue of security and guarantees.
According to the same sources, during Monday`s meeting the two leaders put on the table positions which they had not expressed during their fist round of talks in Mont-Pelerin, that can contribute towards achieving results. However, as it is noted, they did not talk about specific regions that will be returned under Greek Cypriot administration. Their discussion will continue at 1800 local time.
The second round of talks is Mont-Pelerin is scheduled to conclude today. CNA has learned that the two sides have not so far discussed the possibility of extending the talks. President Anastasiades is scheduled to leave Switzerland on Tuesday morning.
The same sources said that during their meeting on Sunday morning the two leaders had a general discussion on various aspects of the Cyprus problem, as for example the first day of the solution, the economic aspect of the solution, the multi-party conference, and the implementation of the acquis communautaire after the solution, without any conclusion. An exchange of views on the issue of criteria took place towards the end of their working dinner on Sunday evening.
It also noted that President Anastasiades had on Sunday two telephone conversations with the Greek Premier Alexis Tsipras whom he informed about the course of the negotiations in Mont-Pelerin.
Anastasiades and Akinci have been engaged in talks under the UN auspices since May last year, with a view to reunite Cyprus, divided since the Turkish invasion of the island in 1974, under a federal roof.
