THE ADVISORS of the two leaders were due to meet last night one final time before the start of direct talks for a solution to the Cyprus problem today.
Presidential Commissioner George Iacovou was due to meet with Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat’s advisor Ozdil Nami in the presence of the UN Special Advisor for Cyprus Alexander Downer.
Iacovou said the UN probably called the meeting to see if there were any problems ahead of today’s talks between the two leaders, which will be held at the UN Protected Area of Nicosia (the old Nicosia airport) at the official residence of the UN Special Representative and UNFICYP Chief of Mission, Taye-Brook Zerihoun.
“The meeting will mark the formal launch of fully-fledged negotiations in view of reaching a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus”, the UN said.
Today’s meeting between the leaders is expected to deal with procedural matters while substantive negotiations are set to begin on September 11.
Regarding last night’s working dinner, Iacovou told reporters yesterday that there was no set agenda for the dinner, though the UN was likely to give both aides its views on the procedure for today’s talks.
The last meeting between Iacovou and Nami was cut short following news that the Turkish side had refused to allow 100-odd Greek Cypriot pilgrims to use the Limnitis crossing to attend a religious ceremony in Morphou.
Iacovou walked out of the meeting, angry that the Turkish Cypriots had failed to reciprocate, following the government’s efforts to allow Turkish Cypriots to cross through Limnitis to mark the 1964 bombing of Greek Cypriots in Kokkina.
Before the working dinner, the Presidential Commissioner said he could not say with certainty whether the two leaders would release a joint statement after today’s talks or not.
Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou said the Greek Cypriot side would participate in the negotiations with good will, but noted that reaching a solution would be a “difficult process”.
“No one has ever said that this process will be easy. There are many issues, open issues, issues with different opinions, but with good will and perseverance there are prospects for a successful ending,” he said.
Kyprianou said recent developments did not facilitate efforts to create a favourable climate but noted that one should not focus on that. “Tomorrow, a new beginning is being made and we must focus on this,” he concluded.
