Downer: the leaders will meet when they’re ready

UN Special Adviser Alexander Downer said today that the two sides were attempting to “bridge a gap” before any date for the start of new talks could be announced, the Cyprus Mail reports.

After a meeting with President Nicos Anastasiades, Downer said negotiators for the two communities would continue to meet to prepare the way. He would also be hosting another dinner for the two representatives on Monday night on top of two meetings, one the same day and one on Wednesday.

“We will obviously discuss how they are getting on in their discussions, but they’ve had several rounds in discussions already,” said Downer.

“There has been a gap….the task is to bridge that gap, and work will be done on that during the course of next week”, he added.

The UN envoy said when the preparations for talks were completed, a date would be announced for the start of negotiations. “We want to ensure that negotiations are successful, so obviously appropriate preparation has to be done”.

He said no particular date had been planned in October. “When it’s appropriate for the leaders to meet, the leaders will meet… when they feel comfortable that the circumstances are right for them to have a meeting”.

Erdogan: we could solve the Cyprus in three months

Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said he had told UN General-Secretary Ban Ki-moon on the sidelines of the recent G-20 meeting in St. Petersburg to solve the Cyprus problem in three months, Turkish daily Sabah reports.

As a result of this proposal, a timetable has appeared with a consensus of mutual visits by Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot special representatives to Ankara and Athens respectively.

The paper writes that according to diplomatic sources, Turkey asked for a precise timetable for the negotiations, adding that the framework for a solution has been defined. The negotiations resuming in October could finish by the end of the year, the diplomatic source said. If the natural gas is shared equally between the two communities and taking into consideration that the natural gas deposits may be a reason for peace rather than conflict, Turkey will give the green light for the gas to go to Turkey.

Diplomatic sources mentioned that the natural gas found in the region is an incentive for the new negotiations and added: “The biggest market for the natural gas is Turkey and Europe with a pipeline through Turkey. Turkey may be the most important departure point of gas in the region. This may form one of the most important chapters of the new negotiations.”