UN Chief holds talks with Cyprus leaders
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon arrived in Cyprus on Sunday evening to boost the on going peace talks on the island. The Secretary-General spent Monday meeting with Greek Cypriot leader Dimitris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat.
The UN chief held separate talks with the two leaders before chairing a joint meeting to decide on a strategy for the next phase of the process.
Ban’s visit to Cyprus was the first by a UN Secretary-General for over 8 years and is considered to be a personal show of support for the reunification talks between Christofias and Talat.
Ban said that he is pleased that the two leaders have recently made some significant progress on the key issue of governance and power-sharing during January’s intensive round of talks. ”I’m here to show my personal support to the Cypriot-led talks to reunify the country,” Ban said on Sunday. ”My visit is a reflection of the importance I have attached to the current efforts to reach a settlement.”