BOTH LEADERS spoke of tentative steps forward on the seemingly insurmountable property issue yesterday after meeting for two hours at the UN-controlled Nicosia Airport.
Following his meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, President Demetris Christofias said the two leaders achieved some convergence, noting, however, that a lot still needed to be done.
“The discussion (on property) will continue, in my view, for some weeks…(it) is not a simple matter. Anyway, we have made a move forward but there is still a lot that needs to be done”, he said.
“I don’t mean that there has been progress, but there is a certain convergence,” he added.
Christofias noted that the two sides would continue efforts to categorise the various issues involved in the mammoth property chapter. “We have still a long way to go,” he said.
Talat displayed an equal measure of cheer on his return to the north, saying that his hopes of reaching agreement on the “complicated and difficult” property issue had increased.
He said good work had been made on the issue, adding that the leaders’ respective aides had prepared “coloured” documents, showing the points of convergence and divergence.
Talat expressed optimism that the two aides will make good work before the two leaders’ next meeting, noting that the two sides started off poles apart but were now inching closer. The Turkish Cypriot leader noted, however, that they were still at the beginning of the property issue.
Noting his hope for greater convergence, Talat explained that one side often feels “uncomfortable” with the other side’s proposal, but that after talking about it, they realise it’s not what they think it is, and the two find common ground.
Meanwhile, Christofias denied statements by the Turkish Cypriot leader’s aide, Ozdil Nami, regarding the existence of 12-point documents on the criteria for the properties issue and on the fact that the two sides have agreed on nearly half of them.
“No, there is no such thing. The points on which there has been an agreement are much more regarding the categorisation but there are still some which need to be discussed,” he said.
He added that there is “a first paper on convergences and differences from last year and now we are categorising properties, so we have not yet entered the essence of the discussion”.
The representatives of the two leaders, George Iacovou and Nami are going to meet next Monday and Thursday, to further work on the property issue while the leaders will meet again on Friday, sticking to the same topic of discussion.
“They need meetings to make progress. As they gradually make progress they will get to the end of the process and eventually they will move to another chapter,” said UN Special Adviser Alexander Downer after the meeting.
