Efforts to reunify the fractured island of Cyprus have seen no progress since 2017.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres expressed his desire for greater outcomes following discussions with Cyprus’s competing leaders. Meanwhile, the Turkish Cypriot president, Ersin Tatar, voiced his frustration over the lack of consensus on establishing four new border crossings.
During a press briefing in New York on Thursday, Guterres characterized these talks as “constructive,” noting advancements in four out of six initiatives agreed upon last March. However, he emphasized, “there’s a long road ahead” in the reunification process.
The island, located in the eastern Mediterranean, has been split since 1974 after a military intervention by Turkey, prompted by a coup aimed at uniting Cyprus with Greece. This conflict led to significant loss of life and mass dislocation, particularly affecting the Greek Cypriot community, and only Turkey recognizes the separate status of the Turkish Cypriots, who remain under military occupation.
With negotiations halted since 2017, Guterres indicated that more groundwork is necessary before resuming talks. He remarked, “We are incrementally building trust and setting the stage for initiatives that benefit the people of Cyprus.”
The UN-supported vision for peace envisions a federal Cyprus, uniting Greek and Turkish Cypriot zones. However, Tatar, who has been advocating for a two-state solution since his election in 2020, is gearing up for re-election in October with the same platform, backed by Ankara.
In contrast, Greek Cypriots oppose any arrangements that would solidify the island’s division, fearing that Turkey’s insistence on maintaining military presence and intervention rights could jeopardize their sovereignty.
Turkey also demands that Turkish Cypriots possess veto powers over federal government decisions. The recent talks included foreign ministers from Turkey and Greece, as well as a UK deputy minister.
Despite ongoing tensions, both sides have made strides in building mutual trust.
Recent Progress
Guterres announced four successful initiatives: establishing a technical committee focused on youth, addressing environmental issues including those caused by mining, restoring cemeteries, and reaching a preliminary agreement on demining, with technical specifics yet to be finalized.
Discussions will continue regarding the four proposed border crossings between the Greek and Turkish sectors of the island, as well as solar energy projects in the UN-patrolled buffer zone.
In a sharp rebuttal, Tatar criticized Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides for obstructing the border crossing agreement by insisting that one crossing pass through the buffer zone, which the Turkish Cypriots deemed unacceptable.
Tatar further condemned Greek Cypriots for launching legal actions over property sales in the Turkish-controlled north, stating such moves jeopardize intercommunal relations and damage their economy and tourism sector.
Property rights remain a significant point of contention, exacerbated by a recent surge in luxury developments in the north, prompting Greek Cypriot authorities to take a firmer stance against what they term the “illegal usurpation” of their land.
Guterres confirmed that Tatar and Christodoulides have agreed to reconvene for further discussions during the upcoming UN General Assembly in late September, with plans for an additional informal meeting later in the year.