A meeting took place on Wednesday in Nicosia between President of the Republic Nicos Anastasiades, Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci and Maarten Verwey, Director General of the Structural Reform Support Service of the European Commission, in which there was a discussion about the findings of the ad hoc committee for the preparedness of the future, in case of a solution, Turkish Cypriot constituent state, with the EU acquis communautaire.

Replying to questions by journalists, after returning to the Presidential Palace, President Anastasiades said that there is still a lot of work to be done.

Asked about tomorrow’s meeting between experts from international organisations about the cost of the Cyprus solution, the President said that the issue was discussed today and added that it is a very substantive subject, noting that if and when a solution is found, the common European currency will be adopted on the first day.

He pointed out that in order to adopt it, banks and the whole financial system must be ready and said that one of the prerequisites of the solution is to know the cost of the solution.

Asked whether the Turkish Cypriot side gives access to data, the President replied «not, yet».

He added that until now they have not responded and it seems that they are faced with problems and set a series of preconditions.

Meanwhile, replying to questions, he said that his letter to the UN Secretary General has been sent, and noted that tomorrow he will have a meeting with UNSG’s Special Advisor for Cyprus Espen Barth Eide.

Asked if in his letter to the UNSG he refers to statements made by Eide, the President said ‘no’. 
 
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory. Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci have been engaged in UN-led talks since May 2015 with a view to reunite the island under a federal roof.

The Republic of Cyprus joined the EU in 2004 but the implementation of the EU acquis was suspended in the  Turkish occupied areas (in the northern part of Cyprus) until a solution of the problem is found and Cyprus is reunified.