UNITED NATIONS - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged Cypriot leaders, who started reunification talks, to demonstrate their political leadership with a sense of flexibility and wisdom, saying "they should look to the future of the Cypriot people."
President Mehmet Ali Talat of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias met earlier Thursday to start talks in the divided Mediterranean island, after a ceremonial launch of negotiations on September 3rd.
UN chief told a press conference at the UN Headquarters that Cyprus problem was going on for 40 years and it should be resolved as soon as possible.
Ban said Cypriot leaders should demonstrate flexibility, especially at discussions on power-sharing, governance and property rights.
Talat and Christofias started negotiations with discussions on how a proposed federation would be governed, taking up the issue of administration and power sharing. The two leaders will continue negotiations on September 18th with the same topics on the table.
Ban said leaders should also go beyond current issues and look to the future.
(TÇ-DO)
(GEN)