Cyprus President flies to New York for meeting with UN Chief

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Cyprus President Demetris Christofias departed on Thursday for New York, where he will have talks with UN Secretary General Ban Ki moon and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu, from 22-24 January.

The National Council - the top advisory body to the President on the handling of the Cyprus problem- agreed on the framework Christofias is to discuss during the meeting at Green Tree, Long Island.

The main issues the Council agreed on is that President Demetris Christofias must not accept any deadlines, arbitration or an international conference unless the two sides agree on the internal aspects of the Cyprus problem.

UN Secretary General extended a new invitation to the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus, President Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Eroglu, to meet with him in New York 23-24 January in the framework of the UN backed direct talks for the Cyprus problem.

The first meeting between the two leaders and the UNSG took place in November 2010, followed by two further meetings in Geneva on January 26 and July 7, 2011.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to finding a comprehensive solution as soon as possible, and in Geneva, on 26 January 2011 and they agreed to intensify the negotiations.

After their meeting in New York in October 2011, the leaders continued the Cyprus talks as usual in the UN protected area in Nicosia.

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