UN Envoy Seeks to Revive Cyprus Peace Talks
UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Rosemary DiCarlo (C) in Nicosia, Cyprus, Feb. 10, 2025. Photo: Xinhua
February 11, 2025 Hour: 8:07 am
Cyprus was divided in 1974 after a Turkish military operation in response to a coup by Greek army officers.
On Monday, a United Nations envoy met separately with Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders, inviting them to an expanded meeting aimed at reviving stalled Cyprus peace negotiations in March.
RELATED:
Outrage in Cyprus Over Visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog
UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacebuilding, Rosemary Di Carlo, visited the divided eastern Mediterranean island as part of preparations for a five-party meeting involving the two Cypriot leaders and representatives of the three guarantor powers: Greece, Türkiye, and the United Kingdom.
Peace talks have been stalled since the collapse of a similar conference in Switzerland in July 2017. Since then, Türkiye and the Turkish Cypriots have hardened their stance, advocating permanent partition and international recognition of a breakaway state established by Türkiye in 1983. Cyprus was divided in 1974 after a Turkish military operation in response to a coup by Greek army officers.
Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, in his capacity as Greek Cypriot leader, said Di Carlo invited both sides to a UN-led meeting before March 20.
Di Carlo said discussions focused on preparations for the upcoming extended meeting in Geneva, with a formal announcement expected soon. “I assured the President of the UN Secretary-General’s commitment to assisting both sides in moving forward.”
Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar said the informal meeting may take place on March 17-18 in Geneva and confirmed his positive response to the invitation.
However, he again rejected UN-backed proposals for a federal Cyprus with power-sharing and equal political rights, reaffirming his call for a two-state solution that would grant formal recognition to a sovereign Turkish Cypriot state. The self-declared Turkish Cypriot state is recognized only by Türkiye. Di Carlo will continue her consultations in Athens on Wednesday and Ankara on Thursday.
teleSUR/ JF Source: Xinhua
