Cyprus rivals agree new crossings throughout island’s dividing line | Border Disputes Information

The island has been cut up since 1974, when Turkiye invaded and seized the northern half after a coup by the Greeks.

Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders have agreed ⁠to open two ⁠new border crossings, coordinate emergency responses, and share archival supplies as a part of a United Nations-backed effort to renew ⁠peace talks on the divided island.

Greek Cypriot chief Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot chief Tufan Erhurman collectively met with United Nations particular envoy Maria Angela Holguin on Monday within the UN-controlled buffer zone that splits the island. The settlement is the primary concrete signal of detente between the rivals after almost a decade of impasse.

The UN mentioned in an announcement that Monday’s assembly was “optimistic” and that the 2 leaders would speak once more within the coming weeks within the presence of outgoing UN Secretary-Basic Antonio Guterres.

“We’re persevering with this effort with absolute seriousness and one single purpose: resuming the talks earlier than the ‌finish ‌of the secretary-general’s time period,” on the finish of the yr, Christodoulides instructed reporters after the assembly.

Guterres started a brand new drive to attempt to resolve the greater than five-decade-old battle in the summertime, suggesting new crossings might construct belief and confidence. Nevertheless, the 2 sides have since been disagreeing ‌over the bottom guidelines for talks.

The transfer would deliver the variety of open crossings on the divided Mediterranean island to 11, in accordance ⁠to media in Cyprus.

Cyprus was cut up in 1974 when Turkiye invaded and seized the northern half in response to a coup instigated by the then-military authorities in Greece.

A earlier power-sharing administration of Greek and Turkish Cypriots had fallen aside in 1963, and a UN Peacekeeping Pressure has monitored a 180km (112-mile) ceasefire line which splits the 2 sides since.

Solely Turkiye recognises the northern a part of the island as an unbiased republic. Ankara maintains greater than 35,000 troops on Cyprus.

A long time of talks have repeatedly did not reunify Cyprus, with the final official spherical collapsing in 2017. Greek Cypriots are in opposition to Ankara having any hands-on involvement; Turkish Cypriots say it’s important.

Final yr, the north elected its first pro-unification chief since 2020, producing renewed hope.