UN special adviser Espen Barth Eide (centre) announces the outcome of the latest talks with Greek Cypriot president Nicos Anastasiades (left) and Turkish Cypriot president Mustafa Akıncı
Greek and Turkish Cypriots negotiating for a settlement in Cyprus have agreed on 40 points of discussion, reports said.
It comes as UN mediators announced a breakthrough in discussions on the contentious issue of property during the most recent meeting between Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akıncı and Nicos Anastasiades, the Greek Cypriot leader.
Espen Barth Eide, who is the UN Secretary-General’s special adviser to Cyprus, said the two community leaders had agreed to set up an independent body that will resolve property claims and that these would be based on mutually-agreed criteria.
People who lost their homes during the protracted conflicts on the 1970s would be able to draw on a number of options, including compensation, exchange and reinstatement.
“The leaders also underlined their commitment to maintain the momentum of the process and decided that their next meetings will be held on 1 and 14 September,” Mr Eide said.
A statement said that negotiators from both sides will “continue to meet intensively” until 7 August and were set to discuss other matters concerning a united Cyprus, including the European Union, the economy and the details of a property deal.
Greek Cypriot spokesman Nicos Christodoulides said on Wednesday that although the leaders have broken off negotiations for the summer break, the negotiators would continue to WORK.
Speaking to the Greek Cypriot broadcaster CyBC, he denied reports of a possible meeting in New York in the autumn with all parties, including Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom.
“Our position is that issues relating to the guarantors should first be debated at our own level, at least as a first phase,” he told , according to the Cyprus Mail.
“Providing there is a common approach by two sides… we [the Greek Cypriot side] have a clear position on the issue of guarantees, but there is no question of a meeting in New York.”