The United Nations mission on the island organised an informal barbeque at the Ledra Palace Hotel in the buffer-zone to bring together the mayors of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities.
The friendly gathering, organised on Friday, was intended as a meet-and-greet for municipal workers and councillors from both Nicosia municipalities and was seen as an opportunity for both sides to discuss issues of common interest.
“Creating a space where the municipalities from both sides can come together to air and resolve issues is really at the heart of what UNFICYP does,” said UN Civil Affairs Chief Faylene Woolley. “It is a crucial step towards developing a common vision for the future of the capital.”
Speaking at the event, Nicosia Mayor Constantinos Yiorkadjis said: “The everyday needs of citizens and the practical problems faced by the city indicate the need for cooperation between the two communities. In order to have a fruitful and productive cooperation, one needs to communicate and understand each other.”
In his comments, Kadri Fellahoğlu mayor of north Nicosia said that: “Even though we, the two mayors, do not have a direct role in the negotiations, by cooperating with each other and by organising events of this kind, I believe that we can get the momentum going in a very positive way.”
