The government has described the decision of Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci to meet in a social context with Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades as a positive development and expressed hope that they can focus on a dialogue of substance, away from any third party demands which do not serve the interests of the two communities.

In a written statement issued on Thursday, Deputy Government Spokesman Victoras Papadopoulos said that “we consider as positive the decision by Mr. Mustafa Akinci (leader of the Turkish Cypriot community) to participate in a social event with the President of the Republic and we express hope, far and away from whatever grievances, to concentrate at last on a dialogue of substance, away from any demands of third parties that do not serve the interests of the two communities.”

“Our resolve was and remains to find a lasting, functional and viable solution to the Cyprus problem that will address the reasonable concerns of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots and which will not deviate from the fundamental principles and values of the EU and from the European acquis,” he added.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. UN led talks between the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot communities resumed in May 2015 with a view to reunite the island under a federal roof.

The talks were interrupted in mid February by the Turkish Cypriot side, which demands that a decision passed by the Cypriot Parliament relating to a 1950 referendum on union with Greece is revoked, claiming this indicates a shift in the Greek Cypriot side`s goal for a federal solution. The amendment provides that there will be a very brief reference one a year to the referendum at schools.

President Anastasiades has described the House decision as wrong and called on the leader of the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mustafa Akinci, who walked out of the talks, to return to the negotiating table to discuss pending issues with a view to reach a mutually acceptable agreement to reunite the country.