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NICOSIA, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Cyprus marked its Independence Day on Saturday in what could be the last celebration of its national day in its current form.
President Nicos Anastasiades, representing the internationally recognized government of the Republic of Cyprus, received the salute of a military parade in the capital Nicosia, flanked by Greece's Defense Minister Panos Kammenos.
Tanks, field artillery and rocket units, along with anti-aircraft missiles and infantry detachments and navy seals passed in front of Anastasiades as Russian made missile helicopters flew over.
Anastasiades, and Mustafa Akinci, the leader of Turkish Cypriots are currently engaged in negotiations aimed at reuniting Cyprus.
Depending on developments, a new national day may be decided upon under arrangements for the setting up of a new federal state.
Turkish Cypriots, who make about 20 percent of the eastern Mediterranean island's population, never took part in celebrations to mark Independence Day on October 1, having pulled out of the government soon after independence.
Cyprus originally celebrated Independence Day on August 16, the date the island was declared an independent state in 1960 after British colonial rule.
The date was moved in 1963 by a decision of the government to October 1 to avoid celebrating in the scorching temperatures of the Mediterranean summer.
But Turkish Cypriots pulled out of the government in early 1964 as tensions fostered by nationalist elements in their community developed into street fighting.
Cyprus's division and the estrangement of the two communities became even deeper when Turkey mounted a military operation in 1974, in reaction to a coup by the military rulers of Greece, which resulted in the occupation of the northern part of the island and a forcible displacement of about one third of the population.
Anastasiades and Akinci, prompted by the United Nations to keep up the momentum of their talks are expected to continue on Tuesday intensive negotiations aspiring to reach an agreement by the end of 2016.
Anastasiades said in an Independence Day televised message that "particularly significant convergences have been achieved at the negotiations up to now" on several issues, however pointing out that there are still differences, most notably on issues resulting from the Turkish occupation.
These relate to properties taken from the Greek Cypriots and allocated to mainland and Cyprus Turks, the ratio of territory comprising each federal constituent state, withdrawal of occupation troops and the abolition of the 1960 system of guarantees, which Turkey invoked to justify its 1974 military action.
Anastasiades said the current state of affairs and security arrangements cannot go on in a new state that is a member of the European Union, making this demand a "red line" for the Greek Cypriot side.
He said he was convinced that if Turkey demonstrated the necessary political will, it could become possible to reach a solution agreement before 2016 is out.
