The meeting of President Nicos Christolidis and leader of the Cypriots Turks Ersin Tatar took place on the morning of April 2 at the residence of the special representative of the UN Secretary General and the head of the peacekeeping corps at Cyprus Colin Stuart at the former airport of Nicosia. The parties agreed on four out of six points of the agenda. The opening of new checkpoints is not among the approvals.
Initiatives that have received approval
Nicos Khristodulidis in his official commentary called the meeting “another positive step” to the resumption of negotiations.
The UN published its own official communique. It says that the leaders agreed: - To form the inter -communal committee on youth affairs - to create an environmental protection committee - to take measures to continue the clearance of a demilitarized zone - to begin the restoration of cemeteries of a neighboring community in their territory (Christian - in the occupied North, Muslim - under the control of the government of the Republic of the Republic of the Republic of Republic Cyprus).
By April 15, both parties will present lists of people who will be included in the Youth Committee. It will have 12 people, all the younger than 35 years old. The inter -communal committee on the environment will work on initiatives related to climate change. The issue of mine clearance is planned to be discussed in negotiations at the level of special representatives of the two communities. Both sides must submit a list of areas where mines are still left. The restoration of cemeteries will be entrusted with the inter -communal working committee on cultural heritage, which had previously been engaged in the restoration of architectural monuments.
Problematic topics remaining open
However, the issue of new checkpoints remains at the stage of discussion, the communities could not agree on it. Recall that after a meeting in Geneva in mid -March, the parties pledged to open four new checkpoints on the Green Line. It was also not possible to reach a consensus on the creation of a common photoelectric park in the buffer zone.
“On the issue of new checkpoints and solar energy in the buffer zone, a constructive exchange of views took place. Leaders instructed their representatives to continue discussing issues with the aim of a mutually acceptable solution, ”the UN communiqué says.
There is also no progress with the appointment of a special messenger of the UN Secretary General for Cyprus settlement. Nicos Khristodulidis noted in his comment that the government expects the announcement of the name of the messenger, “so that we could achieve a great goal by the next meeting, which is nothing more than in the resumption of negotiations” on the unification of the island.
The leaders of the two communities "met on their own initiative in order to continue the Geneva unofficial initiative in a wider format under the auspices of the Secretary General."
The text is prepared based on the materials of Cyprus Mail and Politis.
