THE TWO leaders ended the first three-day session of intensive talks yesterday on a low key, leaving nearly two weeks for thought, reflection, a National Council meeting and trips to Athens and Ankara before resuming intensive talks on January 25.
The meeting lasted eight hours, after which UN Special Adviser Alexander Downer said the two had “a free and very open exchange of views on the issue of governance and power sharing”.
Asked whether the UN had met its objective of achieving progress, the Australian diplomat replied: “As I said, and I choose my words carefully, these talks are being held very much in a positive spirit and in a very good atmosphere.”
The two leaders’ respective aides will meet next Wednesday to continue discussions on governance and power sharing, after which the second three-day session will begin the following Monday.
Downer shot down suggestions there had been no progress since the aides would continue on the same topic next week. He reminded that he “very deliberately” said the negotiations were held in a very positive spirit and good atmosphere, “so it is important to note that”. He added that the intensive sessions needed to be judged in their totality.
“You’ll find out how this has all gone at the end of the process, rather than us giving a running commentary on how it’s going day by day,” he said.
Following the conclusion of the three-day period, President Demetris Christofias said he was very cautious about speaking of convergences during the first phase of the intensive talks.
Free discussions on governance continued “in an effort to reach a mutual understanding. And this will continue during the next meeting”, he said.
Asked if the two sides had reached convergences, he said “not yet”.
“I cannot say that we have concrete results,” said Christofias, adding that the two leaders were not making small talk either.
“I am very, very cautious about telling you that there have been convergences. Still, I have a lot of patience, as you know, with Mr (Mehmet Ali) Talat and Turkey, and with our people, in order to be calm and continue the effort because the target is not to fail. The target is to succeed,” he said, adding, “I want to assure you once again, we defend (in the talks) what we have to defend”.
Speaking on his return, Turkish Cypriot leader Talat expressed the view that the two would achieve results on a range of issues mainly regarding governance and power sharing in the second phase of intense talks.
He said the two leaders had a substantive discussion, and that the talks had reached a “mature point”.
“I think it would be very significant at this stage to have a result and announce it to our people,” he said.
Governance and power sharing was the main aspect of the Cyprus problem and needed time, said Talat, who hinted that a visit to Ankara was on the cards, though not necessarily by him.
The Turkish Cypriot leader said the two did not necessarily discuss each side’s proposals line by line as submitted in the last week but had an “intense and useful negotiation”. 
Christofias will convene the National Council this Friday to brief party leaders before leaving for Athens on Saturday for talks with Greek PM George Papandreou.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called both leaders on the telephone to discuss the peace process. 
Talat said she congratulated him on his courage while he told her that the Greek Cypriot side needed “encouragement”.
According to reports, Clinton told Christofias of the important role Cyprus plays in the Middle East and how a solution could contribute to peace in the wider region. The US diplomat also referred to the need for flexibility in the talks, to which the president replied that the Greek Cypriot side had this but with limits.