A senior United Nations official says the U.N. chief is paying very shut consideration to the state of affairs on war-divided Cyprus and can use all means at his disposal to assist attain an settlement to heal the Mediterranean island nation’s ethnic cut up
ByMENELAOS HADJICOSTIS Related Press
U.N. Assistant Secretary-Basic for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas Miroslav Jenca, left, and Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides, middle, speak throughout their assembly on the presidential palace in divided capital Nicosia, Cyprus, on Monday, Aug. 28, 2023. Jenca stated U.N. Chief Antonio Guterres will use “all his good workplaces” in an effort to help efforts an reaching a deal ending Cyprus’ almost half-century ethnic division. (AP Picture/Petros Karadjias)
The Related Press
NICOSIA, Cyprus — United Nations chief Antonio Guterres is paying very shut consideration to the state of affairs on war-divided Cyprus and can use all means at his disposal to assist attain an settlement to heal the Mediterranean island nation’s ethnic cut up, a senior U.N. official stated Monday.
U.N. Assistant Secretary-Basic for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas Miroslav Jenča stated he and Cyprus’ Greek Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides mentioned methods of resuming talks with breakaway Turkish Cypriots which have remained stalemated since 2017, when negotiations at a Swiss resort collapsed.
Jenča stated U.N. Secretary-Basic Antonio Guterres would undoubtedly “use all his good workplaces in an effort to assist this course of to discover a answer to the Cyprus difficulty.”
Cyprus authorities spokesperson Constantinos Letymbiotis stated Jenča conveyed Guterres’ “dedication to efforts for a resumption of negotiations” and that the world physique continues to search for methods to get negotiations again on observe.
Cyprus’ division returned to the fore earlier this month when offended Turkish Cypriots punched and kicked a gaggle of U.N. peacekeepers who obstructed crews engaged on a street that may encroach on a U.N.-controlled buffer zone bisecting the small Mediterranean island.
The assault obtained worldwide condemnation and prompted the U.N. Safety Council to difficulty an announcement underscoring “the necessity to keep away from any additional unilateral or escalatory actions by both celebration that might increase tensions on the island and hurt prospects for a settlement.”
Turkey, in flip, accused the U.N. of bias over what it known as “humanitarian” street development, however which Greek Cypriots noticed as a provocation and a violation of the U.N.’s mission on the island.
Cyprus was cut up in 1974 when Turkey invaded after a coup aimed toward union with Greece. Solely Turkey acknowledges a Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence within the island’s northern third, the place it maintains greater than 35,000 troops.
The division has been a supply of tensions since then, together with over who holds sway in Cyprus’ offshore unique financial zone, greater than 40% of which was claimed by Turkey following current pure gasoline discoveries.
Christodoulides has been pushing to restart talks with breakaway Turkish Cypriot chief Ersin Tatar, together with a proposal to get the European Union extra invested within the U.N.-facilitated negotiations with the appointment of a senior official to assist information the method.
Cyprus joined the EU in 2004, however solely the Greek Cypriot south the place the internationally acknowledged authorities is seated enjoys full advantages.
Tatar stated talks may start as soon as Greek Cypriots acknowledge the “sovereign equality” of the minority Turkish Cypriots. Greek Cypriots see that as an unfair energy seize that may upend an agreed-upon framework for a deal foreseeing a federated Cyprus composed of Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot zones.