President of Cyprus Republic Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu have agreed in the meeting they held with United Nations’ Secretary General Ban Ki moon in Geneva, to enter into an intensive period of negotiations on the core issues of Cyprus problem when they return to the island, Ban stated.

According to a statement by UNSG Ban Ki Moon read out in the presence of President Christofias and Dervis Eroglu after their meeting and working lunch in Geneva, Ban said that it was also agreed that the two leaders will focus on finding a way through the difficult “core issues“ in the negotiations. “I have every expectation that by October the leaders will be able to report that they have reached convergence on all core issues, and we will meet that month in New York,“ he said.

“This will take the Cyprus negotiations close to their conclusion and would allow me to give a positive report to the Security Council on the matter,” Ban noted, adding that “it would also pave the way for me to work with the parties towards convening a final, international conference”.

Ban said that this has been their third meeting, after the meetings in New York in November 2010 and Geneva in January of this year. He also reminded that he spoke with President Christofias and the Turkish Cypriot leader in April when they decided it was best to take a little more time to advance the negotiations towards a comprehensive settlement before they met again.

Both sides have worked steadily to take the negotiations forward since their meeting in January, “but progress has been far too slow,“ Ban noted. “Some important areas have remained untouched. For this reason, today`s meeting has been useful and productive,“ he added.

They have identified some of the difficulties that are standing in the way of reaching a comprehensive agreement and discussed the need to significantly intensify the negotiations, he said.

Ban had also raised with both the leaders the importance of looking ahead at the objective rather than focusing on the problem in minute detail. According to Secretary General, the atmosphere at today`s meeting was quite positive and he was impressed with the commitment of both sides to agree on the details to create a united Cyprus.

Both leaders have made it clear that they are aiming to reach a comprehensive solution as soon as possible, he added. “I stated to Mr. Christofias and Mr. Eroglu that while I agreed that the negotiations must be Cypriot-led and Cypriot-owned, I was prepared to offer an enhanced United Nations involvement, without prejudice to this central principle“.

Both leaders have accepted my offer, Ban Ki moon said adding that he also took the opportunity to remind both leaders of the parameters of the agreement “that we are striving to reach as set out in relevant Security Council Resolutions“. The leaders have agreed to enter into an intensive period of negotiations on the core issues when they return to the island, UNSG said, pointing out that they will focus on finding a way through the difficult core issues.

The Secretary General said that he has expectation that by October the leaders will be able to report that they have reached convergence on all core issues, and they will meet that month in New York. This will take the Cyprus negotiations close to their conclusion and would allow me to give a positive report to the Security Council on the matter, he said adding, “It would also pave the way for me to work with the parties towards convening a final, international conference“.

Ban also stressed that the leaders have agreed that they must begin to build support for a comprehensive agreement. “On both sides, the public has become weary. Both leaders must renew hope and enthusiasm for a solution“.

Finally, he said that the two leaders have acknowledged the need to begin to prepare their communities for the compromises required for a settlement and the prospect of living together in a united Cyprus.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. UN-backed talks for a mutually agreed settlement to the problem of Cyprus began in September 2008.