“The goal must be for the talks to succeed and to get close to a solution of the Cyprus problem”, the President of the Republic Mr Demetris Christofias said yesterday, underlining that this is his goal. At the same time, he expressed the wish and hope that this goal is understood on the home front as well.

In statements to the press on his return to the Presidential Palace from the residence of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in Cyprus, where he held intensive talks on the Cyprus problem with the Turkish Cypriot leader Mr Mehmet Ali Talat, President Christofias said: “today was mainly spent on tête-à-tête meetings between myself and Mr Talat. At times when we needed to have deliberations with the teams, we did so. A sincere effort is made by both sides, in order to reach new convergences on these issues. It is not an easy task, nor is it a hopeless one, I must say. We will continue tomorrow”.

Asked whether Mr Talat appears to be withdrawing from the proposals he had submitted, President Christofias said: “If we start saying such things, we will create bigger problems for ourselves and for Mr Talat. I believe that patience and insistence on the goal is needed and we are determined to continue with persistence, in order, I repeat, to reach more convergences and to proceed to the rest of the issues. The goal at present is not to end the talks; this should never be the objective. The goal must be for the talks to succeed and to get close to a solution of the Cyprus problem. For my part, at least, this is the goal and I hope and wish that this is understood on our home front as well”.

Replying to a question on whether the property issue is also expected to be discussed in this round of the intensive negotiations, the President of the Republic said: “we will see everything in due course and we will discuss them every time we meet”.