Cyprus talks in Switzerland enter deep waters of territory issue

Cyprus talks are set to enter into the territory issue in Mont Pelerin, Switzerland on Wednesday, reports said.

In light of the meeting on Wednesday at 10 am Cyprus time, President Nicos Anastasiades held a meeting with his negotiating team on Tuesday night.

Sources had said on Tuesday that a document was drawn up on the Greek Cypriot proposals territorial adjustments.

Deputy government spokesperson Victoras Papadopoulos said in a Twitter post on Wednesday morning that both sides are preparing to enter deeper into the territory issue.

Reports have said that a top priority for the Greek Cypriot is to set a criteria for the number of refugees to be returned to a Greek Cypriot administered state, and then setting the criteria for territorial adjustment.

Sources added that the Greek Cypriot side will not allow the territory issue to be tied to the issue of security.

Territorial adjustments

According to Turkish Cypriot sources attending the meetings in Mont Pelerin, today and tomorrow a discussion will begin on the criteria that will create the base for the territorial adjustments, and state boundaries of the two states that will arise.

The same sources said that if there is agreement on these basic values than the process on this chapter can move to the final phase.

Turkish Cypriot sources mentioned that if a date is set for a five-party conference, in which the two sides, and the guarantor powers: Greece, Turkey, and the UK will take part, a map will be place on the table for the first time.

However, the same sources said that if a date for a five-party conference is not set, than an agreement reached in Cyprus that was given to the two leaders by the UN will fall apart.

On Tuesday, there was a crash test conducted on the territory issue in the morning, while in the afternoon progress was noted at Anaastasiades’ meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci.