Cyprus negotiations will resume on Wednesday after an interval of 23 days.

Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders will resume their negotiations on Wednesday aiming to find a comprehensive settlement to Cyprus problem.

President Mehmet Ali Talat of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias will meet at the buffer zone in Lefkosa for a whole-day and intensified negotiation.

Two leaders are expected to discuss administration and share of power, the European Union (EU), and economic issues during their meeting.

The last time Talat and Christofias gathered together was on February 1, when United Nations (UN) Secretary General Ban Ki-moon visited the island to extend his "personal support" to both the ongoing negotiation process and the leaders.

Leaders expressed their determination to maintain negotiations in that meeting, and decided to come together on February 24, March 4, March 16 and March 30.

TRNC proposed to hold four more meetings, however the Greek Cypriot administration rejected the proposal.

Talat and Christofias launched negotiations in September 2008.

Gaining independence from the UK in 1960, Cyprus became a bi-communal Republic where Greek and Turkish Cypriot constituent communities would share power guaranteed by the UK, Turkey and Greece. However, reluctant to share power and pursuing a policy of Enosis (Union) with Greece, Greek Cypriots soon expelled Turkish Cypriots from power and terrorised and ghettoised them.

Decades long armed attacks on the defenseless Turkish Cypriots culminated in 1974 when an Athens-backed Greek Cypriot military coup on the island led to Turkey's intervention based on its rights stemming from the Treaty of Guarantee.

Although the Republic of Cyprus as described in the 1959 agreements is no longer there, Greek Cypriots continue to enjoy this title and international recognition while the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, a fully democratic government representing Turkish Cypriots, still suffers under an unfair political and economic blockade.

Cyprus joined the EU as a divided island when Greek Cypriots in the south rejected the UN reunification plan in twin referendums in 2004 even though the Turkish Cypriots in the north overwhelmingly supported it.

The promise made by EU foreign ministers before the referendums to end the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots and establish direct trade with north Cyprus remains unfulfilled.


AA