Greek, Turkish FMs talk Cyprus

Talks between Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos and his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday focused on the prospects for a settlement to the Cyprus problem amid a new peace push, with Venizelos underlining the importance of “encouraging dialogue.”

Addressing the assembly, Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades asked Turkish-Cypriot authorities and Ankara to agree on trust-building measures which he said could act as a catalyst in the peace drive.

Venizelos said talks with Cavusoglu focused on Cyprus, which he said was “the key to the development of Greek-Turkish relations.” Cavusoglu said Ankara backed a comprehensive settlement for Cyprus. “We are fully supportive, as never before.” The talks were said to be very cordial, with the two men to meet again in Istanbul on November 30.