Anastasiades: I am not abandoning hope for success in the Cyprus peace talks




The President of the Republic Nicos Anastasiades said on Wednesday that he is not giving up hope that the ongoing Cyprus peace talks will succeed, but stressed the need for the same good will from both sides.

Speaking to the press after the last meeting -for the month of November – he held with the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci in the framework of the intensified round of six meetings they had this month, the President said `I am not abandoning hope for the prospect of success of our efforts, as long as there is the same good intention from both sides”.

He pointed out that so far the intention to achieve convergence of views is there, noting at the same time that there are also difficulties.

“I hope that we will overcome those difficulties through the understanding of the concerns of each of the two communities”, he said.

Referring to the joint press release issued earlier on by himself and the Turkish Cypriot leader on the conclusion of the November intensive round of talks, he said that the announcement `speaks for itself`.

Replying to a question, he said that in December he will visit Athens where the tripartite meeting between Cyprus-Greece and Egypt will take place. He also said that in the same month he will pay an official visit to the Ukraine and after that he will participate in the European Council in Brussels.

On the 21st of December, he added, Cyprus expects a visit from the Chinese Foreign Minister. US Secretary of State John Kerry will visit Cyprus on the 3rd of December. The Russian Foreign Minister is also expected to pay Cyprus a visit beginning of December. The German and the British Foreign Ministers visited Cyprus on the 17 and the 19 of November respectively.

The President said the international community is interested in the Cyprus issue, noting that he is making every use of that interest in the framework of contacts he holds during his visits abroad.

The two leaders will meet again on the 4, 15 and 20 of December.

The Republic of Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied 37% of its territory. UN-led talks, aiming to reunite the island under a federal roof, resumed in May.

CNA/AAR/MM/2015
ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

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