Last meeting of 2015 held by the leaders

Within the framework of the negotiations in order to find a solution to the Cyprus problem, President Mustafa Akıncı and the Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Anastasiades held the last leaders’ meeting of 2015 yesterday. Before the meeting at the building allotted by the UN for the negotiations in the Buffer zone, the leaders visited the CMP Anthropology laboratory and met with the three CMP Members and many of the Committee’s Greek and Turkish Cypriot scientists and made examinations. During the visit to the Committee on Missing Persons, President Mustafa Akıncı and the Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Anastasiades recorded an appeal calling on all Cypriots to provide information to the CMP on possible burial sites. This appeal will be shown island-wide as a TV-spot.

After the last leaders’ meeting of 2015, a statement was published by the UN regarding the meeting. According to the statement, the leaders made a general assessment of the negotiations since talks began on 15 May 2015 and expressed their satisfaction with the progress that has been achieved to date. While acknowledging that the tasks ahead remain difficult, the leaders are determined to maintain the positive momentum of the talks with their next meetings planned for the 7th ,14th and 29th January 2016. The leaders held constructive deliberations on all of the outstanding issues and provided further guidance to the negotiators. Stating that a just and lasting settlement in Cyprus will be an example for the broader region, the leaders expressed their sincere hope that 2016 will bring peace, security and prosperity in Cyprus and beyond.

Lastly, the leaders thanked all members of the working groups, technical committees and other parties who are working towards their shared goal of reaching a comprehensive settlement as soon as possible and wished a happy and prosperous New Year to all people.