Working groups meet on re-uniting Cypriot

20/04/2008

NICOSIA, Cyprus -- For the first time in four years, working groups of experts from the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot communities in Cyprus met on Friday (April 18th) to prepare for talks on re-unifying the divided island. The groups, consisting of scientists, jurists and economists, plan to meet every day near the Nicosia airport, which is currently under the control of UN peacekeepers. They will discuss issues related to potential unification, such as the distribution of authorities, ways to boost economic relations between the two communities, and legislative issues. During a meeting in March, Greek Cypriot President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat decided to resume full-scale talks based on the results of these working groups. (Hurriyet, - 19/04/08; RIA Novosti, Cyprus Observer, UN website, AFP, AP, Xinhua - 18/04/08)