The US State Department has called on all parties in Cyprus to work for a comprehensive solution on the Cyprus issue that would reunite the country under a bicommunal, bizonal federation.
A State Department Spokesperson, asked Wednesday to comment on a meeting the Deputy Secretary William Burns held with the self-styled foreign minister of the regime in the Turkish occupied northern side of Cyprus, said that Burns “discussed the Turkish Cypriot perspectives on Cyprus settlement efforts.”
“Deputy Secretary Burns met with Mr. Ozdil Nami to discuss Turkish Cypriot perspectives on Cyprus settlement efforts. The meeting is part of periodic consultations the Department conducts with all parties involved in the Cyprus talks”, the Spokesperson said.
He also pointed out that “we reaffirm our full support for the Cypriot-led process, under the auspices of the United Nations Good Offices Mission, to reach a comprehensive settlement. We continue to urge all parties to seize this historic opportunity to make real and substantial progress toward reunifying the island as a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation”.
On Tuesday, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon met with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu and according to a statement issued by the UN, Ban underlined the importance of Turkey’s role in resolving the issue and referred to a positive momentum.
“The Secretary-General underlined the importance of Turkey`s role in resolving that long-standing conflict, and hoped the Cypriot leaders would show readiness to make the compromises required in order to keep up the positive momentum”, the statement reads.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third.
Previous UN-backed efforts to reunify the island have failed. Cyprus talks resumed, under UN auspices, in February, following an agreement on a joint declaration by the leaders of the island’s two communities, Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot Dervis Eroglu.
The two leaders are set to meet towards the end of March while the negotiators of the two sides, who held meetings in Ankara and Athens, meet periodically at the UN Protected Area in Nicosia.
