New hope arises for the divided island of Cyprus as the United Nations' negotiations talks are announced to resume in March, poised to leave the legacy of decades of failed reconciliation attempts behind.
Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides said Wednesday that the bilateral talks between the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot sides are expected to restart in a couple of months in New York. The foreign minister expressed that the exact dates and locations will be finalized by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in the upcoming days, in accordance with the circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic.
On Jan. 20, Guterres announced his intention to invite the rival leaders on Cyprus to an informal meeting “as soon as practicable” but warned that this meeting must be different and help clarify “the true extent” of their common vision “and outline steps necessary to chart a way forward.”
After decades of status quo, he said, “changes are happening on the ground that may become irreversible, should the two communities not recommit themselves to resolving their differences peacefully, proactively and with determination.”
Following consultations over the past months by U.N. envoy Jane Holl Lute, Guterres said both sides and the guarantors have expressed a willingness to attend an informal meeting under his auspices.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey used its guarantor power to intervene in the island after a far-right military coup sponsored by the military junta, then in power in Athens, sought to unite the island with Greece and toppled President Archbishop Makarios III.
Last week, during his visit to Brussels, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu expressed that Turkey expects the negotiation talks to resume soon and the EU will also participate as an observer.
Ankara has been the main supporter of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) for decades now. In November, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had expressed that a solution based on the presence of two equal sovereign states should be negotiated on the island of Cyprus.
Turkey, as a guarantor state of the TRNC, is currently carrying out hydrocarbon exploration activities in the region. Ankara has consistently contested the Greek Cypriot administration's unilateral drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean, asserting that the TRNC also has rights to the region's resources.
Speaking at an official ceremony to mark the TRNC's 37th anniversary since its establishment, in the capital Lefkoşa (Nicosia), Erdoğan said: "There are two peoples and two separate states in Cyprus."
Considering this situation, a two-state solution based on sovereign equality should be negotiated to resolve the Cyprus issue, he said, adding that Turkey prioritizes a sustainable solution providing the legitimate rights and security of Turkish Cypriots.
The Cyprus issue has seen an on-and-off peace process in recent years. The latest talks, which began on June 28, 2017, and were monitored by Guterres' special adviser on Cyprus, Espen Barth Eide, failed after 10 days of intense discussions. The Greek Cypriot side leaked files, which the U.N. had classified as confidential, to the Greek media before sending them to the U.N. and the Turkish side, and while the Greeks never strayed from their discourse of "zero troops, zero guarantees," they also did not take any constructive steps toward offers and suggestions.
Prior to that, in 2003, the TRNC government eased the crossing restrictions for Turkish Cypriot citizens and allowed crossings to be made with identity cards and passports without prior notice, while also easing restrictions for those traveling from Greek Cyprus to Turkish Cyprus. The move was a gesture of normalization and goodwill. The following year, the Greek Cypriot administration joined the EU, despite the division of the island.
In 2004, the plan of then-U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan for a solution was accepted by the Turkish Cypriots but rejected by the Greek Cypriots in twin referendums.
After years of unsuccessful attempts, the TRNC's expectations from the upcoming talks are clear. TRNC President Ersin Tatar said Monday that Turkish Cypriots need to have an internationally recognized state.
Speaking via video link with Guterres, Tatar said that a possible solution on Cyprus must be established “on the basis of the existing two states and sovereign equality,” according to TRNC spokesperson Berna Çelik Doğruyol.
Doğruyol added that Guterres would that “prefer” a 5+U.N. informal meeting on Cyprus – including both sides of the island and the guarantor countries – be held in New York, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, the date and time of such a meeting have yet to be decided.
Currently, the TRNC has a population of almost 400,000 people. Even though it is not recognized by any country other than Turkey, it presents a model state when it comes to its democracy and freedom. A 2016 Freedom House report on the country stated it is "free" when it comes to political rights and civil liberties.
