Representatives from all Left and progressive Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot parties took part in the 2 day Conference organised by Synaspismos on the 10th and 11th of December 1997 entitled: ôThe Cyprus issue today. Moving towards solution?ö The convocation of the conference on the eve of the presidential elections in Cyprus and while the process for the IslandÆs entry to the European Union is starting, turned it into an event of major political interest.

It was the first time that Turkish Cypriot parties visited Greece and at the highest level. M.Talat, President of the Republican Turkish party, M.Akinci, President of the Communal Liberation party, A.Dourdouran, President of the ôNew Cyprusö party, G.Vassiliou, President of the United Democrats party and former President of the Republic of Cyprus, representatives of AKEL party, DISY, EDEK, Lelos Dimitriadis, Mayor of Nicosia, Sia Anagnostopoulou and N.Kizilyurek, of the University of Cyprus were the representatives of the Cypriot side. N.Constantopoulos, Synaspismos President, delivered the opening speech. J.Kranidiotis, deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, representatives from the opposition parties, Synaspismos cadres and a large number of Academicians, researchers and journalists from Greece took part in the debate, which had the following Agenda:

A. General framework for a solution.

• Single sovereignty. Bi-communal, bi-zonal Federation

• CyprusÆ European prospect. The role of the international factor.

• Security - Demilitarisation - International guarantees

B. The political and social co-existence of the Communities of Cyprus. The contribution of Civil Society.

During the closing session all the participants publicly expressed their satisfaction with the broadness and depth of the debate. It helped to prove that the voices which advocate reconciliation and peaceful co-existence between the two communities are anything but marginal.