Cyprus-Forum.com

[MrH]

"14:56 05Mar2009 Cyprus peace talks fail to agree on property

NICOSIA, March 5 (Reuters) - Rival sides negotiating a peace deal on ethnically divided Cyprus agreed to set aside the thorny issue of property rights on Thursday after failing to reach an accord and move on to other areas.
The Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities of Cyprus have been trying to broker a peace deal in talks which began in September 2008, the latest bid to end a conflict harming Turkey's efforts to join the European Union and ties between NATO-allies Greece and Turkey.
Leaders decided to shelve for now discussion of property disputes and move on to other issues when they meet again in mid-March.
"There are significant differences in opinion and we shall revert (to the matter)," said President Demetris Christofias, the Greek Cypriot leader, speaking before a meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat.
He later said there was some convergence in views, but declined to be specific.
Cyprus was divided in a 1974 Turkish invasion triggered by a brief Greek inspired coup. About one third of its population was internally displaced and property claims are one of the most complex disputes the sides will need to solve in a peace deal.
Hundreds of applications are pending against Turkey at the European Court of Human Rights by Greek Cypriots for property seizures in northern Cyprus.
Greek Cypriots have lived in the south of Cyprus and Turkish Cypriots in the north since the 1974 conflict, split by a United Nations-supervised buffer zone which runs through the heart of the island's capital, Nicosia.
A United Nations official overseeing talks sidestepped a question on whether there had been progress on property.
"There has been a broad and substantive discussion on the issue," said Taye-Brook Zerihoun, the U.N. special representative for Cyprus. "But I would not make that judgement because it would be a subjective judgement," the Ethiopian diplomat said.
The east Mediterranean island is represented in the European Union by its Greek Cypriot government, which says Turkey cannot join the EU as long as the island is divided.
(Writing by Michele Kambas, editing by Janet Lawrence)
(([email protected]; 357 22469607; Reuters messaging [email protected]))
Keywords: CYPRUS TALKS/
Thursday, 05 March 2009 14:56:40RTRS [nL5681488 ] {C}ENDS"

[bill cobbett]

Wasn't setting aside "property" announced some days ago and debated here? Bit slow Reuters.

[Get Real!]

Cyprus peace talks fail to agree on property

And why is that? Because Turkish Cypriots don’t want to return what is not theirs by any chance?

You’d think that the property issue would’ve been the EASIEST to solve!

If you’ve got the valid Kochan you’ve got the property, and if you haven’t you’ve got bollocks! What could be easier?