1st LD Writethru: Cypriot community leaders fly for Switzerland negotiations
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E-mail Xinhua, November 20, 2016
The leaders of Cyprus' Greek and Turkish communities flew to Switzerland on Saturday for what is expected to be a crucial round of negotiations leading to the reunification of Cyprus.
The meeting is also crucial for the re-integration of Turkish Cypriots who have been living in isolation for over four decades.
Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci will sit at the negotiating table on Sunday at Mont Pelerin in the presence of a UN emissary to conclude unfinished work from a previous round of talks on territorial issue a week ago.
Anastasiades left for Mont Pelerin after he briefed all Greek Cypriot party leaders and former presidents ahead of the negotiations on Friday and Saturday, securing the support of the two main parties commanding a majority in Parliament -- governing DISY and opposition left wing AKEL.
He said before flying out that he could not say what the outcome would be until the talks end on Monday, but he vowed that he would do his utmost for a successful conclusion.
"The President told me that he is almost certain that an overall agreement will be reached when the negotiations conclude on Monday. There are still outstanding issues but there is an intense desire by both sides to find an agreement to a problem that is around for over four decades," said ex-president George Vassiliou after meeting Anastasiades.
The two community leaders have to reconcile their last differences on territorial adjustments and mark on maps their respective positions on areas where Greek Cypriots displaced 42 years ago by Turkish troops will return.
Turkish troops occupied 37.5 percent of Cypriot territory in 1974, in a military action spurred by a short-lived coup of the military rulers of Greece. Endit
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