The U.N. is likely to launch a fresh push to resolve the ​decades-old Cyprus issue before the term of Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expires at ⁠the end of ⁠the year, Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides said.

Christodoulides, who represents the Greek Cypriots in talks with ​Turkish Cypriots, made the comments ​in an ⁠interview on Tuesday night with a local station, Alpha TV.

He told the channel that he had been informed that Guterres was encouraged by discussions he had had with Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan in March.

"We might be close to developments, which may lead to a peace plan," Christodoulides said.

Cyprus has remained divided since 1974 ⁠when Türkiye intervened to safeguard the rights of Turkish Cypriots in parts of the island's north following a Greek-backed coup and Greek Cypriot violence.

Greek Cypriots run the south, while Turkish Cypriots administer the north and a U.N.-patrolled buffer zone between them.

The last meaningful negotiations collapsed ​in 2017 amid disagreements over Türkiye's role in a future federated island with two self-governing regions linked by a strong central government.

In 2004, Greek Cypriots rejected a ⁠United Nations peace plan, saying ‌it did not address security concerns and the long-term viability ​of the proposed ⁠reunified state, or the property rights ⁠of tens of thousands of internally displaced people.

Turkish ⁠Cypriots, however, had accepted the proposal.