Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders agreed to open two new crossing points on the divided island of Cyprus during U.N.-brokered talks in Lefkoşa, marking a step toward improving cooperation between the two communities.
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Tufan Erhürman and Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides reached the agreement during a trilateral meeting mediated by Maria Angela Holguin Cuellar, the U.N. secretary-general's personal envoy for Cyprus.
The meeting, held at the residence of the U.N. chief of mission in the buffer zone in Lefkoşa, began at 11 a.m. and lasted approximately three hours and 15 minutes.
Following the talks, Holguin and U.N. Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus spokesperson Aleem Siddique presented a joint U.N. statement to reporters after the two leaders departed.
According to the statement, the leaders agreed to establish new crossing points connecting Akıncılar with Lympia and Gemikonağı with Kambos-Karavostasi.
Discussions on additional crossings will continue, while Erhürman and Christodoulides are also expected to hold another trilateral meeting with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
The U.N. described the discussions as taking place in a positive atmosphere, with both sides agreeing on further confidence-building measures.
The leaders agreed to relaunch the bicommunal Imagine education program under the supervision of the Technical Committee on Education, which will determine the framework for its implementation.
They also tasked the Technical Committee on Crisis Management with establishing a mechanism to ensure rapid responses to emergencies.
Additionally, the leaders agreed that the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage would begin restoration work on several Maronite churches and an Armenian monastery.
The agreements signal renewed efforts to strengthen practical cooperation between the island's two communities amid continuing U.N.-facilitated dialogue.
