Greek, Turkish Cypriots Wish to Work for Cyprus SolutionRepresentatives of Greek and Turkish Cypriot political parties said on Monday that they wished to contribute to a solution to the protracted Cyprus issue.The representatives from six Greek Cypriot parties and three Turkish Cypriot parties met at the Ledra Palace in the United Nations-controlled buffer zone of the island's divided capital. The meeting was held "in a cordial and friendly atmosphere," said a joint communique issued after the meeting. It added that the participants exchanged views and explained positions on Cyprus' efforts to become a member of the European Union. This was the third such meeting by leaders and representatives of Greek and Turkish Cypriot political parties this year. They have decided to meet again on May 7. The joint meetings of Greek and Turkish Cypriot political parties are held at the initiative of the Slovak Embassy to Cyprus. They "again unanimously expressed their strong wish to contribute to the solution to the Cyprus issue and reaffirmed the usefulness of their meetings in the future," the communique said. Cyprus has been divided into the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied the northern third of the island following an abortive coup by the Greek Cypriots seeking union with Greece. The world community, especially the U.N., also has been trying to bring the two sides back together in a bizonal bicommunal federation formula. But so far no tangible results have been achieved. |
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