Prospects for early resumption of Cyprus peace talks receive a boost

Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-20 00:32:43|Editor: yan
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NICOSIA, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- Prospects for an early resumption of the stalled Cyprus peace talks received a boost on Friday when center-left Turkish Cypriot parties agreed to form a coalition administration for their breakaway so-called state following elections on Jan. 7.

The United Nations and other international brokers closely watched over efforts to form a Turkish Cypriot administration, as it could either be a boost or be a hindrance to moves to restart the negotiations aimed at ending one of the longest-standing international issues on the United Nations agenda.

The leftist Republican Turkish Party and three smaller Turkish Cypriot center-left parties said they agreed to form an administration after the current nationalist right-wing administration submitted its resignation on Friday after failing to find partners to stay in power.

Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci accepted the resignation of the administration but asked it to stay on until a new one was ready to take over.

Political analysts said the Turkish Cypriot leader would feel more comfortable in agreeing to renewed reunification negotiations with Greek Cypriots with a leftist administration in power which would stand behind him.

The United Nations special representative in Cyprus, Canadian diplomat Elizabeth Spehar, said after briefing the UN Security Council on the situation in Cyprus on Thursday that Secretary General Antonio Guterres stood ready to call new negotiations as soon as he is requested to do so by the leaders of the two communities.

She said Guterres expected the two sides to come forward with the prerequisite political will after the presidential election cycle in Cyprus is concluded early in February.

Outgoing Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades, who is also the leader of the Greek Cypriots, said he intends to seek an early resumption of negotiations after the presidential elections.

Opinion polls suggest that Anastasiades will easily win the election, which starts next weekend.

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