Christofias: good news soon on Limnitis

PRESIDENT DEMETRIS Christofias expects “good news soon” on the opening of a crossing point in Limnitis after talking to Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat yesterday.

Speaking after his 32nd meeting with Talat as part of ongoing direct talks, Christofias said: “We had a good meeting today, we moved forward concerning Limnitis.”

“We are not far from an agreement and I expect soon to have good news,” he added.

The two leaders spent three hours having their now standard tête-à-tête meeting, though this time with their respective aides Georgios Iacovou and Ozdil Nami, during which they discussed Limnitis and the economy.

The more formal gathering between the two community leaders, their aides and the UN lasted only 30 minutes, during which time the two sides read out their positions on the fifth topic to be discussed in the talks: territorial issues.

Christofias said the economy would be set aside for now as talks would continue on territory at their next meeting on Monday.

The UN’s Special Representative in Cyprus, Taye Brook Zerihoun, yesterday confirmed that the two leaders told him after their meeting that “they are close to an agreement on Limnitis”.

The UN official added that the discussion on the economy was concluded “at least on the level of the leaders”.

Describing the meeting as “good and productive”, Zerihoun said that during the open meeting where the UN was present, the introductory statements on the chapter on territory were read out by both sides. The next meeting will be held on Monday, 3pm, where the two sides will give their reactions to the introductory statements on territory.

The UN’s Special Envoy to Cyprus Alexander Downer will be in Moscow on Monday for talks with Russian officials on the Cyprus problem but will return to the island on Tuesday.

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