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Washington Post
20-07-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Turkey's president says his support for a two-state deal on ethnically split Cyprus is absolute
NICOSIA, Cyprus — Turkish Cypriots on Sunday celebrated Turkey's military invasion of Cyprus that cleaved the island nation along ethnic lines 51 years ago. Turkey's president reaffirmed his full backing for a controversial peace deal that envisions the establishment of two separate states. It's a proposal that the majority Greek Cypriots in the island's internationally recognized southern part reject out of hand. It would formalize Cyprus' partition and give Turkey a permanent foothold they see as a bid for control of the entire, strategically situated country and its offshore hydrocarbon wealth. 'Our support for (Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar's) vision for a two-state solution is absolute,' Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in remarks to a crowd during celebrations that culminated with a military parade. It was scheduled this year for the evening to avoid the worst of the scorching mid-summer's heat. 'It is time for the international community to come to terms with the facts on the ground,' Erdogan added, urging the international community to establish diplomatic and economic relations with the breakaway state in Cyprus' northern third that Turkish Cypriots declared in 1983. Turkey's invasion came in the immediate aftermath of a coup staged by Athens junta-backed supporters of uniting Cyprus with Greece. Currently, only Turkey recognizes the Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence and maintains 35,000 troops in the north. Erdogan's renewed support for a two-state deal came just days after Tatar, the island's Greek Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, the foreign ministers of 'guarantor' powers Greece and Turkey, and Britain's minister of state for Europe gathered at U.N. headquarters in New York for meetings with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to end an eight-year moratorium on formal peace negotiations. The meeting achieved little in the way of a return to fully fledged negotiations as Tatar insisted on recognition for the breakaway Turkish Cypriot state as a prerequisite. The meeting did, however, achieve some progress on a number of confidence-building measures such the exchange of cultural artifacts and the setting up of an advisory committee on civil society. Guterres said he'll meet again with Tatar and Christodoulides in September and hold another wider meeting after a Turkish Cypriot leadership election in October in which Tatar is running on a two-state platform. Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots insist a two-state deal is the only way forward because decades of U.N.-mediated peace talks based on a U.N. Security Council endorsed framework of reunifying Cyprus as a federation no longer had any meaning. That switch came after the last big push for a peace accord in the summer of 2017. It fell through on what Greek Cypriots said was a Turkish and Turkish Cypriot insistence on keeping a permanent Turkish troop presence on the island and enshrining military intervention rights for Turkey as part of any deal. Greek Cypriots also rejected a demand for blanket veto powers for the minority Turkish Cypriots on all government decisions. In the south where Greek Cypriots commemorated the invasion with solemn memorials to the war dead, Christodoulides said the international community gives no support to a two-state deal. He said Turkey's continuing 'occupation of European territory' subverts its ambitions for closer European Union ties and undermines the role it wishes to play in the region.
Reuters
20-07-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Greeks mourn, Turks celebrate anniversary of invasion that split Cyprus
NICOSIA, July 20 (Reuters) - Greek and Turkish Cypriots marked on Sunday the 51st anniversary of Turkey's 1974 invasion of Cyprus, an event that split the island and remains a source of tension between NATO partners Greece and Turkey. Air raid sirens sounded across the southern Greek Cypriot-populated parts of Cyprus at 5:30 a.m. (0230 GMT), the exact time when Turkish troops landed on the northern coast in a military intervention triggered by a brief Greece-inspired coup. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan was due to attend celebrations in north Cyprus, a breakaway state recognised only by Ankara. Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides attended a memorial service in the south to commemorate the more than 3,000 people who died in the Turkish invasion, which also drove tens of thousands of Greek Cypriots from their homes. "Despite those who want us to forget, we will never forget, or yield an inch of land," Christodoulides said, calling celebrations in the north "shameful". Efforts to reunify Cyprus as a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation have repeatedly failed amid deep-rooted mistrust and competing visions for the island's future. Before the invasion, clashes between Turkish and Greek Cypriots saw Turkish Cypriots withdraw from a power-sharing government and prompted the deployment of U.N. peacekeepers in 1964. Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar said the invasion had brought "peace and tranquility" to the island following the "darkest years" for Turkish Cypriots. "Their (Greek Cypriots) goal was to destroy the Turkish Cypriots," he said in a video address posted on X. The simmering conflict complicates Turkey's ambitions to foster closer ties with the European Union, of which both Cyprus and Greece are members. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said last week the two sides would continue discussions on trust-building measures, warning that "there is a long road ahead".
Al Jazeera
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
UN talks with Cypriot leaders fail to reach deal on new border crossings
The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said he would have liked more results from his meetings with the rival leaders of the divided island of Cyprus, while the Turkish Cypriot leader said he was 'very, very upset' that there was no agreement on opening four new border crossings. Guterres on Thursday called the meetings at the UN in New York 'constructive' and pointed to progress on four of the six initiatives that the leaders had agreed to in March. He cautioned, however, that 'there's a long road ahead.' The Mediterranean island was divided in 1974 when Turkiye invaded, following a coup by Athens' military government-backed supporters to unite the island with Greece. Mass deaths and displacement of the Greek Cypriot population followed as the island's northern third was occupied – only Turkiye recognises a Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence, and it maintains more than 35,000 troops in the north. Negotiations between the rivals have been stalled since 2017. When asked whether he would start a new round, Guterres responded that there is more to be done before any negotiations. 'I think we are building, step by step, confidence and creating the conditions to do concrete things to the benefit of the Cypriot people,' the secretary-general said. The agreed-upon, UN-endorsed framework for a peace deal has been a reunified Cyprus as a federation composed of Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot zones. Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar has been demanding a two-state deal ever since his 2020 election. He faces re-election in October and says he's running on the same two-state platform with Ankara's full backing. Greek Cypriots reject any agreement that would formalise partition, fearing Turkiye would seek to control the entire island in light of its demand to maintain a permanent troop presence and military intervention rights in Cyprus. Turkiye also insists that the minority Turkish Cypriots should have veto rights over all federal government decisions. The meeting included the foreign ministers of guarantor countries Turkiye and Greece, and a United Kingdom deputy minister. Despite differences on the future of Cyprus, the rivals have made some progress on trust-building measures. Achievements Guterres told reporters that four initiatives had been achieved: Creating a technical committee on youth; initiatives on the environment and climate change, including the effect on mining areas; the restoration of cemeteries; and an agreement on demining, where technical details still need to be finalised. He said discussions will continue on opening four new crossings between the Greek and Turkish sides of the island, and on solar energy in the buffer zone between them, which is patrolled by a UN peacekeeping force. Tatar accused Nikos Christodoulides, the president of Cyprus, of preventing the announcement of the four border crossings on Thursday by insisting that one of them go through the buffer zone, which he called unacceptable to Turkish Cypriots. He also sharply criticised Greek Cypriots for pursuing legal action over the sale of properties in the Turkish Cypriot north, saying the moves 'are certainly damaging to the relations of the two peoples and are aimed at damaging our economy and our tourism'. Property rights are a deeply contentious issue in Cyprus. A recent boom in the construction of luxury villas and apartments in the north has prompted Cypriot legal authorities to take a more assertive stance towards realtors and developers, to discourage what they say is the large-scale 'illegal usurpation' of Greek Cypriot land. The secretary-general said Tatar and Christodoulides agreed to meet with him in late September, during the annual gathering of world leaders at the General Assembly, and to hold another informal meeting later in the year.
The Independent
18-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
UN talks with rival leaders of Cyprus fail to reach deal on new border crossings
The United Nations chief said Thursday that he would have liked more results from his meetings with the rival leaders of divided Cyprus, while the Turkish Cypriot leader said he was 'very, very upset' that there was no agreement on opening four new border crossings. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the meetings 'constructive' and pointed to progress on four of the six initiatives that the leaders agreed to in March. He cautioned, however, that 'there's a long road ahead.' The Mediterranean island was divided in 1974 when Turkey invaded following a coup by Athens junta-backed supporters of uniting the island with Greece. Only Turkey recognizes a Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence, and it maintains more than 35,000 troops in the island's northern third. Negotiations between the rivals have been stalled since 2017. When asked whether he would start a new round, Guterres responded that there is more to be done before any negotiations. The current talks are 'complex,' he said, stressing the very different views of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots on a solution. 'I think we are building, step by step, confidence and creating the conditions to do concrete things to the benefit of the Cypriot people,' the secretary-general said. The agreed-upon, U.N.-endorsed framework for a peace deal has been a reunified Cyprus as a federation composed of Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot zones. Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar has been demanding a two-state deal ever since his 2020 election. He faces reelection in October and says he's running on the same two-state platform with Ankara's full backing. Tatar told reporters after the meeting that 'unless our sovereign equality and equal international status is reaffirmed, we will not resume formal negotiations for the resolution of the Cyprus problem.' Greek Cypriots reject any agreement that would formalize partition, fearing Turkey would seek to control the entire island in light of its demand to maintain a permanent troop presence and military intervention rights in Cyprus. Turkey also insists the minority Turkish Cypriots should have veto rights over all federal government decisions. Greek Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides did not speak to reporters after the meeting, which included the foreign ministers of guarantor countries Turkey and Greece and a United Kingdom deputy minister. Despite differences on the future of Cyprus, the rivals have made some progress on trust-building measures. Guterres told reporters that four initiatives had been achieved: creating a technical committee on youth; initiatives on the environment and climate change, including the impact on mining areas; the restoration of cemeteries; and an agreement on demining, where technical details still need to be finalized. He said discussions will continue on opening four new crossings between the Greek and Turkish sides of the island and on solar energy in the buffer zone between them, which is patrolled by a U.N. peacekeeping force. Tatar accused Christodoulides of preventing the announcement of the four border crossings on Thursday by insisting that one of them go through the buffer zone, which he called unacceptable to Turkish Cypriots. He also sharply criticized Greek Cypriots for pursuing legal action over the sale of properties in the Turkish Cypriot north, saying the moves 'are certainly damaging to the relations of the two peoples and are aimed at damaging our economy and our tourism.' Property rights are a deeply contentious issue in Cyprus. A recent boom in construction of luxury villas and apartments in the north has prompted Cypriot legal authorities to take a more assertive stance toward realtors and developers to discourage what they say is the large-scale 'illegal usurpation' of Greek Cypriot land. Guterres said the meeting also produced an understanding on a consultative body for civil society engagement, exchange of cultural artifacts, an initiative on air quality monitoring and addressing microplastic pollution. The secretary-general said Tatar and Christodoulides agreed to meet with him in late September during the annual gathering of world leaders at the General Assembly and to hold another informal meeting later in the year.
Associated Press
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
UN talks with rival leaders of Cyprus fail to reach deal on new border crossings
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations chief said Thursday that he would have liked more results from his meetings with the rival leaders of divided Cyprus, while the Turkish Cypriot leader said he was 'very, very upset' that there was no agreement on opening four new border crossings. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the meetings 'constructive' and pointed to progress on four of the six initiatives that the leaders agreed to in March. He cautioned, however, that 'there's a long road ahead.' The Mediterranean island was divided in 1974 when Turkey invaded following a coup by Athens junta-backed supporters of uniting the island with Greece. Only Turkey recognizes a Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence, and it maintains more than 35,000 troops in the island's northern third. Negotiations between the rivals have been stalled since 2017. When asked whether he would start a new round, Guterres responded that there is more to be done before any negotiations. The current talks are 'complex,' he said, stressing the very different views of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots on a solution. 'I think we are building, step by step, confidence and creating the conditions to do concrete things to the benefit of the Cypriot people,' the secretary-general said. The agreed-upon, U.N.-endorsed framework for a peace deal has been a reunified Cyprus as a federation composed of Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot zones. Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar has been demanding a two-state deal ever since his 2020 election. He faces reelection in October and says he's running on the same two-state platform with Ankara's full backing. Tatar told reporters after the meeting that 'unless our sovereign equality and equal international status is reaffirmed, we will not resume formal negotiations for the resolution of the Cyprus problem.' Greek Cypriots reject any agreement that would formalize partition, fearing Turkey would seek to control the entire island in light of its demand to maintain a permanent troop presence and military intervention rights in Cyprus. Turkey also insists the minority Turkish Cypriots should have veto rights over all federal government decisions. Greek Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides did not speak to reporters after the meeting, which included the foreign ministers of guarantor countries Turkey and Greece and a United Kingdom deputy minister. Despite differences on the future of Cyprus, the rivals have made some progress on trust-building measures. Guterres told reporters that four initiatives had been achieved: creating a technical committee on youth; initiatives on the environment and climate change, including the impact on mining areas; the restoration of cemeteries; and an agreement on demining, where technical details still need to be finalized. He said discussions will continue on opening four new crossings between the Greek and Turkish sides of the island and on solar energy in the buffer zone between them, which is patrolled by a U.N. peacekeeping force. Tatar accused Christodoulides of preventing the announcement of the four border crossings on Thursday by insisting that one of them go through the buffer zone, which he called unacceptable to Turkish Cypriots. He also sharply criticized Greek Cypriots for pursuing legal action over the sale of properties in the Turkish Cypriot north, saying the moves 'are certainly damaging to the relations of the two peoples and are aimed at damaging our economy and our tourism.' Property rights are a deeply contentious issue in Cyprus. A recent boom in construction of luxury villas and apartments in the north has prompted Cypriot legal authorities to take a more assertive stance toward realtors and developers to discourage what they say is the large-scale 'illegal usurpation' of Greek Cypriot land. Guterres said the meeting also produced an understanding on a consultative body for civil society engagement, exchange of cultural artifacts, an initiative on air quality monitoring and addressing microplastic pollution. The secretary-general said Tatar and Christodoulides agreed to meet with him in late September during the annual gathering of world leaders at the General Assembly and to hold another informal meeting later in the year.
