LEFKOSA, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
The aim of the negotiations is to achieve comprehensive solution in Cyprus, the Turkish Cypriot president Mustafa Akinci said in Lefkosa after meeting with Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades Wednesday.
Earlier, the UN’s Espen Barth Eide hosted Akinci and Anastasiades at the U.N.'s Good Office on the island.
"The aim is to achieve comprehensive solution in Cyprus. Losing time would not benefit any side," Akinci said on Wednesday.
He underlined that the purpose was to establish as soon as possible a two-state federal structure.
Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades also said he had a positive outlook regarding the Cyprus issue.
Solving the Cyprus issue is dependent on dialogue between the two sides, he added.
Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders are set to enter into "substantive" talks over core issues after completing an assessment phase, the UN's special adviser for Cyprus had said earlier.
“With strong determination, and driven by their joint commitment, [the two leaders] pursued their goal of reaching a comprehensive settlement as soon as possible,” Eide said in a written statement.
"Upon completing the baseline assessment, the leaders are now entering into substantive negotiations on unresolved core issues," said the special adviser.
Eide also said the two "formulated a mandate for the new committee on gender equality and appointed its members."
This meeting was the Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders' third meeting, with the next in the pipeline on June 29, 2015, said Eide.
Political tensions in the long-divided island have eased since comprehensive talks resumed on May 15.
On May 28, Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot leaders agreed a five-step plan to resolve the Cyprus issue following a meeting hosted by Eide.
These steps included opening more crossing points, interconnecting the power grids, allowing mobile phone interoperability on both sides of the island, resolving the issue of radio frequency conflicts, and forming a joint committee on gender equality on Cyprus.
