Naharnet

U.N. Urges Rival Cypriot Leaders to Seize 'Unique Opportunity'

U.N. envoy Espen Barth Eide on Tuesday urged the rival leaders of Cyprus to finally seize a "unique opportunity" to broker a peace deal after four decades of division on the island.

"I am very encouraged by the climate that has been created over the last weeks and months here and I think this is an opportunity that Cypriots must take," Eide told reporters.

He made the comments after meeting President Nicos Anastasiades, the Greek Cypriot leader, as part of efforts to kick-start U.N.-brokered reunification talks, which have been on hold since October.

The Norwegian diplomat, who has already met newly elected Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci, is to host a dinner for the two on May 11.

"I have invited them to a dinner ... From there on we will decide when, not if, but when negotiations will formally start," he said.

"I think that we are talking about relatively soon, and from then on I think we are into a very important moment of Cyprus history," he added.

Eide said both leaders agreed there was "no time to waste, and that means that we are not going to waste any time".

"The sense which is created on both sides of Cyprus now is that this opportunity is unique."

Akinci, a longtime champion of reunifying the island, was elected as president of the breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus on April 26, defeating nationalist incumbent Dervis Eroglu.

Anastasiades has said Akinci’s election had renewed hopes for a settlement.

A U.N.-monitored ceasefire line has divided the island since 1974 when Turkish troops occupied its northern third in response to an Athens-inspired coup seeking union with Greece.

The Turkish Cypriots, who had already pulled out of government institutions in the face of communal violence in 1963, declared their breakaway state in 1983.

But it is recognized only by Turkey, which provides around a third of its budget.

The Greek Cypriots pulled out of the U.N.-brokered talks in protest at Turkish exploration for oil and gas off the island’s coast but announced in April that they would return to the negotiating table after the Turkish Cypriot election.

Source: Agence France Presse


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