Ban looking forward to meeting Cyprus leaders

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is looking forward to meeting the leaders of Cyprus` two communities during the UN General Assembly in New York to discuss with them, and add his political support, to their efforts for a solution.

Replying to a question by a CNA correspondent at UN headquarters, during a press conference to mark the beginning of the 70th General Assembly, Ban said he was encouraged that the two leaders were meeting and negotiating in a detailed manner since May this year.

“During the meetings both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots are approaching the talks with a positive and constructive spirit. This has helped to generate fresh and important momentum as well as a significant progress in the talks,” he said.

Ban said he was encouraged by the leaders’ commitment “to continue to work tirelessly in order to reach a comprehensive settlement as soon as possible”.
In this regard, he has also welcomed “their agreement to intensify their work and to increase the frequency of their meetings”.
He said his special envoy Espen Barth Eide was staying in the region and he was closely coordinating with the two leaders. (CNA)

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.