UN Special Advisor on Cyprus, Espen Barth Eide, Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci will be meeting at 8pm today for dinner, SigmaLive English can confirm.
UN Cyprus Spokeserspon Aleem Siddique told SigmaLive English: “There’s only one topic they will obviously discuss.”
Thursday’s dinner will represent the first time the three officials have sat at the same table to discus the Cyprus Problem negotiations, since the failed Swiss-based talks on territory.
The meeting will take place at the UN High Commissioner’s, Elizabeth Spehar, residence located within the UN Protected Area.
Eide tweeted: “I look forward to hosting [both leaders].“
Eide held separate meetings with Anastasiades and Akinci on Thursday.
After Thursday’s talks, Eide is scheduled to visit Athens on Friday for a meeting with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotsias, while on Monday he will visit Ankara for consultations with Turkey’s government.
BACKGROUND
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and illegally occupied its northern third.
Anastasiades and Akinci have been engaged in UN-led talks since May 2015, with a view to reuniting the island under a federal roof.
Both leaders held talks on the crucial territorial issue in Mont Pelerin, Switzerland from November 7 to 11 and again from November 20 to 21, but failed to come to an agreement.
Once Anastasiades and Akinci agree on territory, next on the negotiating table will be the crucial securities and guarantees issues – both which Akinci wants to tie with the territorial talks.
If a final agreement is reached it will be put to both communities in a referendum. A 2004 peace deal, the ‘Annan Plan’, was approved by Turkish Cypriots but overwhelmingly rejected by Greek Cypriots.
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