Joint Statement to the Press on behalf of the Greek Cypriot leader Mr. Nicos Anastasiades and the Turkish Cypriot leader Mr. Mustafa Akıncı

Wednesday, 14^th September 2016

Today, the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr. Mustafa Akınci, and the Greek Cypriot leader, Mr. Nicos Anastasiades, completed an intensive phase of eight meetings.

In addition to holding substantive discussions on a number of issues, the leaders today took stock of the process after sixteen months of negotiations, into which a very significant amount of work, time and effort have been invested.

The leaders reiterated that they remain determined to do their utmost to reach a comprehensive settlement as described in the joint statement of 11^th February 2014.

All chapters are being discussed interdependently.

Significant progress has been achieved on many of the outstanding issues on the Chapters of Governance and Power-Sharing, Economy, the EU matters and Property. However, certain substantial divergences still remain.

The two leaders also exchanged views and positions, in a brainstorming manner, on the Chapters of Security and Guarantees, as well as Territory. Although these initial exchanges have demonstrated that the respective views remain apart, there is a strong determination to resolve them in a mutually acceptable manner.

Cognizant of the remaining challenges, the two leaders are committed to continuing and intensifying their efforts in these leader-led negotiations in the coming months with the aim of reaching a comprehensive settlement agreement within 2016.

For this purpose, the two leaders will hold a joint meeting with the Secretary-General of the United Nations on 25^th September, in New York. They will take stock of the state of play in the negotiations, inform him of their achievements to date as well as of the challenges ahead. They will exchange views with him and will request him to intensify his personal engagement in the process in the months to come.

End.