Cyprus talks `breakthrough'

Nicosia - Cypriot leaders yesterday hailed what they called the first breakthrough in peace negotiations for the divided island…

Nicosia - Cypriot leaders yesterday hailed what they called the first breakthrough in peace negotiations for the divided island in 23 years after an agreement to clear up the fate of missing Greek and Turkish -Cypriots. The Turkish-Cypriot leader, Mr Rauf Denktash, and the Cyprus President, Mr Glafkos Clerides, a Greek Cypriot, agreed to exchange information on some 2,000 people from both sides missing since inter-communal violence in the 1960s and the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus.Mr Clerides hailed the decision as "a very positive step, the first practical measure for 23 years". "For the first time, each side recognises the victims of the other side and accepts to hand over information and the remains of the dead, even those killed in action," he said. - (AFP)