A new meeting between Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades and the UN Secretary General’s special envoy Jane Holl Lute took place on Friday morning at the Presidential Palace, in the framework of efforts to formulate the terms of reference that will pave the way for the resumption of Cyprus talks.  Lute met earlier this morning anew with Turkish Cypriot leader, Mustafa Akinci

Complications have emerged during the last days in the efforts to conclude the terms of reference. A diplomatic source has said while the length of the document on the terms of reference that was initially drafted was half a page, now it is one a page and a half.

The UN diplomat arrived to Cyprus on Saturday and has since Sunday been holding, every day, separate meetings with the two leaders. Friday’s meetings are her sixth with each leader. CNA has learned that these are Lute’s last meetings with the leaders as she is expected to leave the island later today.

Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides, Government Spokesman, Prodromos Prodromou and Greek Cypriot negotiator Andreas Mavroyiannis participate in Anastasiades’ meeting with Lute.

Government Spokesman, Prodromos Prodromou told journalists on Thursday after Anastasiades’ meeting with Lute that “we have started the effort to formulate the terms of reference and we intend to finish this off.”

Furthermore he noted that “as the President said, there has been an issue, a small obstacle, but negotiations continue”.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in the summer of 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana, ended inconclusively.