UN chief preparing ground to restart Cyprus peace talks
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is looking to bring together Cyprus’ rival leaders for an informal meeting to reach consensus on terms to revitalize talks on reunifying ethnically split Cyprus.
Officials from the eastern Mediterranean island’s three “guarantors” – Britain, Greece and Turkey – will be invited.
The terms will act as a guideline for negotiations to resume “at the earliest feasible opportunity” and aim at reaching a deal reunifying Cyprus as a federation “within a foreseeable horizon,” AP reports.
Cyprus was split along ethnic lines in 1974, when Turkey invaded following a coup by supporters of union with Greece. Only Turkey recognizes a declaration of independence by Turkish Cypriots in the country’s northern third, where it keeps more than 35,000 troops.
