Talks over the divided island of Cyprus shall be held in New York within the subsequent two months with the participation of the United Nations, Turkey’s Overseas Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu mentioned on Friday. The United Nations has been attempting unsuccessfully for many years to reunite Cyprus, break up in a Turkish invasion in 1974 after a short Greek-inspired coup. The final try collapsed in disarray in 2017 after negotiations attended by all events.
Solely Ankara recognises the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) as an unbiased state. It doesn’t recognise the internationally recognised Greek Cypriot authorities to the south. Cavusoglu mentioned Turkey, Greece, Britain – the island’s guarantor powers – and the United Nations would convene the talks with the 2 Cypriot sides in late February or early March, with the European Union as an observer.
Talking in Brussels after talks with senior EU officers, Cavusoglu mentioned the bloc had to this point “disregarded the rights of the Turkish aspect”. “We conveyed to them that this belief must be re-established,” he added.
Cyprus’s division has lengthy been a supply of friction between Turkey and EU member Greece, which can maintain talks subsequent Monday on a separate dispute over maritime rights within the japanese Mediterranean. Turkey faces the specter of EU financial sanctions over the maritime rights dispute with Greece and Cyprus.
Nonetheless, the EU and Turkey have each signalled this week that they wish to enhance relations, which have additionally been strained by disagreements over migration and Ankara’s human rights document.
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