PRESIDENT Demetris Christofias yesterday called for patience following his latest meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat.
The leaders are to meet twice next week, on Tuesday and Friday.
Quizzed by reporters when he returned to the Presidential Palace yesterday, Christofias said that when progress was achieved, he would announce it.
He said that when he undertook the talks he, at least, knew things would not be easy.
“Some people are in a hurry. I have said this before. A lot of patience is required and nerves of steel, which I believe I possess,” he said.
“When I consider that the time has come to tell the people if we have progress or not, I will do so.”
Asked to comment on statements that Talat was sending details of the talks to Ankara, Christofias said he was under no illusion this was happening. “Why should I be saddened by this? Do you think we were under the illusion that Mr Talat was not informing Ankara on what is going on?”
Christofias said he would continue to have tête-à-tête meetings with Talat as he did yesterday for one hour before negotiations proper, because it was useful in helping relieve tension between the two sides.
“Explanations are given on issues which have taken place and I think that this is useful,” he said.
Yesterday’s meeting was chaired by UN Chief of Mission Taye-Brooke Zerihoun in the absence of UN special envoy Alexander Downer.
“The leaders started today’s meeting with a one hour tête-à-tête,” said Zerihoun in a statement after the meeting.
“They then took up discussion on the federal executive and again instructed their representatives to continue their discussions in an effort to narrow remaining differences.”
That was followed by a preliminary exchange of views on the legislature, the UN chief said. This would be continued at the next two meetings.
Although he was asked why the two leaders were still discussing the issue of the executive seven meetings down the line, Zerihoun said he could not go into detail.
“I’m sorry about that, but indeed, they are dealing with these issues. There are many complicated issues, you know better than I, and they are moving forward, I can assure you about that.”
