Chief Turkish Cypriot negotiator Kudret Ozersay, said that the climate in the two and a half hour meeting held on Monday in the UN buffer zone in Nicosia was positive.
He said that during the meeting the method and procedure of the negotiations had been agreed and added that:
“… we basically discussed together some issues under the main chapter of Governance and Power Sharing and some issues related to the EU”, noting that, “moreover in the meeting we saw more clearly on which issues we will face difficulties to agree and on which issues we will agree more easily”.
Ozersay confirmed that their next meeting would be held on 4th March and that during the meeting they will discuss issues under the chapter of Governance and Power Sharing such as the powers, the formation and the election of the federal government, and in relation to this, the list outlining the powers of the federal state and the residual powers of the constituent states. He noted that the Greek Cypriot side suggested that the property issue should be discussed in relation to the Governance and Power Sharing and that the Turkish Cypriot side had accepted this suggestion. He reiterated, however, the view of the Turkish side, the territorial issue and the map should be discussed in the end of the negotiations. He added:
“Therefore, we will listen to their views on the property in relation to the territory, except the map and the numbers, and we will put forward our own views on the property issue”.
In reference to the negotiations, the spokesman for the United Nations Peace Keeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), Michel Bonnardeaux said that UN experts provide assistance to the negotiators on issues such as property and security/military matters, the EU, constitutional law and political affairs.
