Last night the President of Cyprus, Mr Glafkos Clerides, crossed the Green Line which bisects the island to dine at the home of the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr Rauf Denktash.
Just before eight o'clock the blue-black Audi of Mr Clerides swept through the Greek checkpoint, the stretch of buffer zone in front of the Ledra Palace Hotel, now a UN barracks, and the Turkish checkpoint. In the space of 50 metres he had breached the walls, barbed wire and trenches which make Nicosia the world's last divided capital city.
The car of Mr Clerides was not flying the white and gold flag of the republic because the advisory body made up of the heads of the political parties asked him to attend the gathering as leader of his community rather than president. In spite of this diplomatic fudge, yesterday Mr Clerides became the first head of the inter- nationally recognised Cypriot state to enter the mainland Turkish-controlled sector of the capital since the Turkish Cypriots seceded from the republic in 1963.
The meal of soup, fish, pasta and Turkish pastry followed Tuesday's encounter between the veteran Cypriot leaders at which they agreed to resume direct and definitive negotiations for a settlement.
The successful summit stunned Greek Cypriots and enchanted Turkish Cypriots. The Turkish Cypriot opposition daily, Avrupa, reacted to the news with the headline, "Cheers!" If a solution does not happen before Cyprus joins the EU Turkey has threatened to annex the northern third of the island it occupied in 1974.
What Mr Denktash called a "new and invigorated process" is almost certainly the last chance for these two elderly warriors, who have sparred for over 50 years. Mr Clerides is 82, Mr Denktash 77.
As we waited outside in the cold for the party to come to an end, an optimistic Turkish Cypriot journalist remarked: "It'll work this time. They wouldn't have started fresh talks if they weren't serious." Another chimed in: "There is nothing new on the table.
"They know what is to be done. They can finish the job by June so that the two communities can enter the European Union together."
They agreed that the deciding factor was Europe. Cyprus and Turkey both want to join: Turkey cannot become a member unless the Cyprus problem is solved.
The doors opened wide and Mr Clerides came out after two and a half hours, ruddy-faced, smiling. He gave a little wave of his hand and said softly: "Excellent".
