Cypriot President hopes for reconciliation between Turkey and Greece

Cypriot President Nikos Anastasiadis said that after the election of a new leader of the Turkish community, opportunities have appeared to start negotiations on the normalization of relations between the Greek and Turkish parts of the island.

In particular, Anastasiadis expressed  hope the new phase of negotiations on the normalization of relations will continue in May of this year.

"We want to achieve such a situation where the two parts of Cyprus will be able to coexist peacefully and even move to relations of co-operation," RIA Novosti reports. To do this, he said, "we must  overcome previously-committed mistakes on both sides."

The president of Cyprus said that his hope for improved relations and the positive development of the negotiating process are largely based on the fact that the parties have "agreed a basis for future decisions."