The Secretary-General met today with H.E. Mr. Mustafa Akinci, the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community.

The Secretary-General welcomed the positive atmosphere surrounding the Cyprus talks, commending the commitment of the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr. Akinci, and the Greek Cypriot leader, Mr. Anastasiades, to reach a comprehensive settlement to the Cyprus issue. 

He encouraged the leaders to stay on this path and assured Mr. Akinci of his personal commitment and that of his Special Adviser Espen Barth Eide to continue facilitating the efforts of the two leaders in the talks.

The Secretary-General also welcomed the leaders’ agreement to work on a number of confidence building measures that would benefit both communities. He noted that the measures could help to increase and sustain the positive environment on the island. The Secretary-General also welcomed the decision by the leaders to establish a committee on gender equality in the framework of the talks.