The meeting of the leaders of the two communities has yielded some positive results

AKEL on the meeting of the two leaders

Statement by AKEL C.C. Spokesperson Stefanos Stefanou

AKEL C.C. Press Office, 26 October 2018, Nicosia

The meeting of the leaders of the two communities – which should have taken place long ago – has yielded some positive results.

It is positive that it has at long last been agreed to open the Dherynia and Aplikiou crossings, an issue that has been pending for some years now. The fact that further Confidence Building Measures will be discussed is also a positive development. We also consider as positive the clarifications given in the leaders’ statements that the solution sought must be within the framework of the United Nations and on the basis of Bi-zonal, Bi-communal Federation.

Of course, the crucial task that the UN Secretary-General has assigned to both leaders in his latest report remains pending. That is to say, Anastasiades and Akinci must both jointly convince the UN Secretary-General Mr. Guterres that they have the political will for a resumption of the negotiations as he himself sets out aiming at reaching an agreement on the basis of Bi-zonal, Bi-communal Federation.

The two leaders must focus on the fulfillment of this task, on making use of the short period of time that the UN Secretary-General has granted them and, of course, make corresponding use of the forthcoming visit by the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Cyprus Mrs. Lutte.