Guterres hails Cyprus talks on new trust building measures between divided leaders

By Anjali Sharma

UNITED NATIONS – UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday hailed UN-led efforts to kick-start talks on the divided Mediterranean island of Cyprus have resulted in agreements on new trust-building measures.

He said that there’s a positive “new atmosphere” surrounding the discussions, in a statement issued in New York.

Guterres spoke in Geneva after a second day of informal talks, he underscored his commitment to ensure the security and well-being of the Cypriots – the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots “from the very start of my mandate today was another attempt to find a way forward”.

Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides and Ersin Tatar, leader of the Turkish Cypriots, had gathered in Geneva with guarantors Greece, Türkiye and the UK at the request of Mr. Guterres.

“Mr. Tatar and Mr. Christodoulides have agreed the following group of initiatives to build trust,” he said.

He added that listing “opening of the four crossing points, demining, creation of a technical committee on youth, initiatives on the environment and climate change including the impacts on mining areas; solar energy in the buffer zone and the restoration of cemeteries”.

UN has pushed for negotiations towards a settlement of the issues which led to the division of the island, with the Security Council authorizing a UN peacekeeping force in 1964, UNFICYP.

The force remains on the island to supervise ceasefire lines, a buffer zone and to support humanitarian activities in the absence of a permanent agreement.

Mr. Guterres tried  to bring the two sides together in 2017 at the Swiss Alpine resort of Crans-Montana but talks ultimately broke down. A further push was made in 2021.

He insisted that in contrast, the latest discussions saw “meaningful progress”.

Guterres concluded “I hope that the confidence-building measures or the initiatives to build trust, together with the decision to have very soon a next meeting and the acceptance by all of the appointment of a Special Envoy on Cyprus to prepare the next steps, demonstrates the sense of commitment and the sense of urgency that I believe were extremely important. It’s a new atmosphere.”