The Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders agreed to meet again on July 1 to review the peace process aimed at reunifying the divided island, the UN Secretary-General's special representative in Cyprus Taye-Brook Zerihoun announced on Friday.
Zerihoun told reporters that Cyprus President and Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias will come together with Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat to prepare for the substantive negotiations between them.
But the two sides have not set the date to start the full-fledged talks on the reunification of the east Mediterranean island.
Christofias and Talat agreed on March to relaunch the reunification talks in three months. But the Greek Cypriot side now maintains that the substantive negotiations cannot start without significant progress in the preparatory work by experts from both communities.
Cyprus has been remained 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 breakaway and set up the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus," which is recognized only by Turkey.
Although the leaders of the two communities agree on a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation formula, big differences still remain on key issues such as power sharing, property and sovereignty.
Source: Xinhua
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