UPDATE – Cyprus: Turkish, Greek leaders talk building confidence

UPDATES WITH TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESIDENT'S REMARKS</p> <p>By Murat Demirci</p> <p>LEFKOSA, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (AA) – Turkish and Greek leaders of the divided island of Cyprus met in the UN Green Zone on Tuesday to discuss “confidence-building measures” between the two communities.</p> <p>Turkish Cypriot President Mustafa Akinci and Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades met under the auspices of UN Cyprus Envoy Elizabeth Spehar, according to a statement from the mission.</p> <p>The two leaders agreed on a number of issues to increase confidence, including the interoperability of cellphone networks and electrical grids as well as clearing hazardous areas. </p> <p>On confidence-building measures, Akinci and Anastasiades “committed to intensifying the work of the Technical Committees with the objective of improving the daily lives of all Cypriots,” the statement read.</p> <p>“The two leaders decided to implement the confidence-building measure regarding mobile phone interoperability through separate agreements of the operators on both sides with a hub based in Europe, in order to facilitate greater interaction between the two communities,” the statement said. </p> <p>Akinci and Anastasiades also announced a 2015 deal on the interconnectivity of the two electricity grids has now been achieved, according to the statement. </p> <p>They also “agreed to the clearance of nine suspected hazardous areas on both sides of the island, with a view to working towards a mine-free Cyprus,” the statement added.</p> <p>In a press conference, Akinci said he discussed with Anastasiades implementing confidence-building measures already agreed on.</p> <p>He said he exchanged views on the issue of extending the jurisdiction of founding states, in a possible solution to the Cyprus issue and talked about soldiers working to clear nine minefields on both sides of the island.</p> <p>&quot;The actual target is clearing the whole island of mines,&quot; Akinci added.</p> <p>Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when a Greek Cypriot coup was followed by violence against the island's Turks and Ankara's intervention as a guarantor power. </p> <p>It has seen an on-and-off peace process in recent years, including the failed 2017 initiative in Switzerland under the auspices of guarantor countries Turkey, Greece and the U.K.</p> <p> </p> <p>