Leaders of the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities will hold talks again later this month, a government spokesman said Thursday.
President Demetris Christofias, the Greek Cypriot leader, will meet Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat on May 23, Stephanos Stephanou said in a statement.
Further details regarding the meeting would be released at a later stage, he added.
The two leaders have just attended a reception for representatives of the political parties from the two communities Wednesday evening in the U.N.-controlled buffer zone. The May 23 meeting was apparently agreed upon during their short encounter.
In March, Christofias and Talat decided to relaunch negotiations for a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation. Six working groups and seven technical committees have been set up for the negotiations.
The working groups are discussing fundamental issues like power sharing, security and property while the technical committees tackle everyday concerns.
The two leaders will probably review the progress of the working groups and technical committees, aimed at facilitating full-fledged negotiations under the auspices of U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
The east Mediterranean island has been divided since 1974 when Turkey militarily intervened and occupied the north of the island following a coup by a group of Greek officers.
In 1983, the Turkish Cypriot authorities declared the establishment of the breakaway "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus," which is recognized only by Turkey.
For decades, the United Nations has continuously worked for a viable solution to the Cyprus issue.
In an April 2004 referendum, Greek Cypriots rejected a comprehensive settlement plan by then U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan while Turkish Cypriots approved it.
Source:Xinhua
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