Cypriot negotiators to meet ahead of August 26 leaders’ exchange

Nicosia, Cyprus. Greek and Turkish Cypriot negotiators will meet this week to prepare for President Nikos Christodoulides’ exchange with Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman on August 26, government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said on Monday.

The meeting, scheduled for 4pm, is intended to prepare for a new expanded meeting on the Cyprus problem.

Crossing points

Speaking to CyBC, Letymbiotis said Christodoulides would approach the meeting with a “constructive attitude”, with the government seeking progress on issues including the opening of new crossing points.

He reiterated that a proposal by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for the simultaneous opening of crossing points at Athienou and Mia Milia should be taken into account.

The opening of new crossing points remains one of the points of contention under discussion.

Expanded meeting

Guterres said after his recent visit that another expanded informal meeting would be held once sufficient preparation had been completed.

“We must prepare the next meeting well, to ensure that it leads to a solution,” Guterres said.

He said the United Nations would work with both sides and the guarantor powers “to create the conditions for the success of the meeting”.

Previous proposals

Four crossings were included in a package agreed at an expanded Cyprus meeting in Geneva last year, with both sides asked to put forward two locations.

The government later proposed opening two crossings initially, pairing the Athienou-to-Aglandjia road with a crossing at Mia Milia, while leaving Louroujina for a later stage.