Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu meet on Monday with the aim to agree on a joint declaration that will pave the way for the resumption of direct talks on the Cyprus problem.

The meeting takes place at 1830 local time (1630 GMT) at a restaurant situated in the buffer zone near Ledra Palace in Nicosia.

President Anastasiades took last Thursday the initiative to invite Eroglu for the informal meeting with the aim to conclude on a joint statement that will pave the way for the resumption of direct talks on the Cyprus problem.

UNFICYP, the United Nations force in Cyprus, has welcomed “this informal meeting of the two leaders and continue to work closely with both sides in their effort to resume the talks”.

In statements to CNA Russian Ambassador Stanislav Osadchiy  said his country views in a positive light the initiative undertaken by Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades to have an informal meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu and expressed the hope  the meeting will give impetus to the Cyprus peace process.

In a written reply to a CNA question, the US Embassy also welcomed the informal meeting “as a step forward by the leaders to energize the Cyprus settlement process”.

Cyprus was divided in 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Previous UN led efforts to reunify the island under a federal roof have failed.

The negotiators of the two communities have been meeting with the UN the past few weeks in order to agree on a joint declaration for the resumption of the talks.