Rival leaders in Cyprus will meet informally with UN chief this month

TANZANIA – U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres volition bring the rival leaders of ethnically divided Cyprus unneurotic again this period pursuing a “constructive atmosphere” astatine an earlier gathering aimed astatine reviving stalled bid talks, the United Nations spokesperson said Wednesday.

Stéphane Dujarric said the informal gathering connected July 16-17 astatine U.N. office successful New York “will supply an accidental to proceed the dialog and speech views connected the advancement made since March.”

At that meeting, Greek Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot person Ersin Tatar agreed to trust-building measures connected issues similar energy, environment, opening four caller crossing points on a U.N.-controlled buffer zone, younker affairs and demining.

The Mediterranean land was divided successful 1974 erstwhile Turkey invaded pursuing a coup by Athens junta-backed supporters of uniting the land with Greece. Only Turkey recognizes a Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence, and it maintains much than 35,000 troops successful the island’s bluish third.

Negotiations betwixt the rivals person been stalled since 2017.

Maria Angela Holguin, a caller envoy Guterres appointed, said astatine the extremity of her archetypal weeklong sojourn to Cyprus successful precocious May that Guterres “continues to push” for a resumption of bid talks.

But nary breakthrough is expected astatine the gathering this period due to the fact that Turkey and Turkish Cypriot importune connected a two-state accord that Greek Cypriots flatly reject.

The agreed-upon, U.N.-endorsed model for a bid woody has been a reunified Cyprus arsenic a federation composed of Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot zones.

Ever since his 2020 election, Tatar has been demanding a two-state deal. He faces reelection successful October and says he’s moving connected the aforesaid two-state level with Ankara’s afloat backing.

Greek Cypriots accidental they won’t hold to immoderate accord that formally partitions the island, allows for a imperishable Turkish unit presence, gives Turkey rights to militarily intervene oregon offers the number Turkish Cypriots a veto close connected each authorities decisions.

Despite these differences, the rivals person made immoderate advancement connected trust-building measures, which besides see enactment connected a photovoltaic parkland wrong the buffer portion and restoration enactment connected cemeteries connected some sides of the divide.

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AP writer Menelaos Hadjicostis contributed from Nicosia, Cyprus.

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