Greek Cypriot left-wing party AKEL and Turkish Cypriot Communal Democracy Party agreed to continue discussing the Cyprus issue in working groups, to produce ideas and proposals that will help the two leaders in Cyprus to overcome disagreements in Cyprus peace talks.

The leaders and delegations from the two parties met Monday at the AKEL`s headquarters in Nicosia to discuss the latest developments on Cyprus UN-led talks and agreed also to contribute to the process by preparing their communities for a possible solution to the Cyprus issue and a referendum for a future solution.

As AKEL General Secretary Andros Kyprianou said, the Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci have made progress in the negotiations on the Cyprus problem, due to the fact that they have exploited the convergences by former president Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot Leader Mehmet Ali Talat. He added however that his does not mean that “we are close to an agreement” and said “we need stronger effort and too much work to reach an agreement”.

He also said that his party will cooperate with all political parties in the Turkish Cypriot community that wish peace and reunification as the Communal Democracy Party is, noting that the ongoing process on the Cyprus issue is too important and too decisive for the future of the country and the people of Cyprus.

The leader of the Communal Democracy Party (TDP) Cemal Ozyigit said that the negotiations are progressing very positively since the two leaders remain committed to the joint statement of February 11.

Referring to the groups created by the two parties, he said that the goal is to accelerate their work to contribute to the talks of the two leaders. He added that the work to be produced will be presented to both communities, the leaders and the negotiating groups.

He also said that the two parties exchanged views on how to prepare the communities to which they belong for a solution and a referendum process.

“For us it is important to work together with AKEL because we have a common goal to reunite our country that has been divided,” he concluded.

UN-led meetings between President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci began in May this year, with a view to reunite the island under a federal roof. Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third.