The two leaders met for the 39th time on Thursday in the buffer zone separating Cyprus' Turkish and Greek sections. Talat told reporters after the meeting that they would complete the first round of talks and prepare a schedule for the second phase of the talks when they meet Aug. 6.
The two leaders discussed the issues of migration, citizenship and foreigners under the topic of "administration and power sharing," one of six chapters the negotiations have been divided into. He said they would discuss these issues again at next week's meeting before starting to draw up a schedule for the second phase. Talat and Christofias will then take a break from talks until Sept. 3.
Negotiations on the reunification of Cyprus have been under way since last September. Turkish Cypriots aim to complete negotiations by the end of this year and reach a mutually acceptable agreement on how to reunite the island. This agreement then should be put to a referendum on both sides of the island.
Cyprus joined the EU as a divided island when Greek Cypriots in the south rejected a United Nations reunification plan as the Turkish Cypriots in the north overwhelmingly supported it in simultaneous votes in 2004. Turkey, whose own bid to join the EU is complicated by the ongoing division of Cyprus, is also pushing for a quick settlement on the island. But Greek Cypriots complain there has been little progress in talks so far and reject any hard deadline for a solution.
