Cyprus Talks Remain Deadlocked as Turkey Holds Firm on Two State Position

Stay connected to Greek City Times for Free on Google News
Click NOW

Efforts to restart substantive negotiations on the Cyprus issue have failed to produce a breakthrough in New York, with Ankara continuing to support a two state framework for a settlement.

A series of diplomatic meetings involving Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, UN Secretary General António Guterres and other officials has kept the Cyprus issue high on the agenda during the UN General Assembly.

However, there has been no clear indication of a fundamental shift in the positions of the two sides.

Christodoulides met Guterres in New York on September 24 and presented proposals covering the substance and methodology of negotiations, as well as confidence building measures. The Cypriot president said Guterres had received the proposals positively and was considering the possibility of a tripartite meeting.

Christodoulides also indicated that he was prepared to extend his stay in New York if the conditions were created for further talks.

The central dispute remains the framework for a settlement

The main obstacle remains disagreement over the basis of a future settlement.

The Greek Cypriot side supports the resumption of substantive negotiations within the UN framework and based on the existing body of UN resolutions.

Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot leadership have continued to advocate a different approach centred on two states and political equality.

Recent UN backed diplomatic efforts have therefore focused on whether enough common ground exists to restart a meaningful negotiating process.

UN Cyprus envoy Maria Angela Holguin has said that the UN continues its efforts, while recent meetings have yet to produce concrete progress.

Guterres continues to push for talks

Guterres has continued efforts to keep the Cyprus process moving before the end of his term as UN secretary general.

The UN has been exploring the possibility of another meeting involving the two sides, with the wider format potentially including Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

Christodoulides has said Guterres is considering a three way meeting involving himself and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman, but stressed that there must also be a positive response from the other side.

The Turkish Cypriot side has also spoken about the possibility of a wider five plus one meeting, while arguing that preparations should ensure the talks have a realistic prospect of producing an outcome.

Despite the diplomatic activity, disagreements remain over political equality, confidence building measures and the methodology for restarting negotiations.

Mitsotakis raises Cyprus with Guterres

The Cyprus issue was also discussed when Mitsotakis met Guterres in New York.

Athens has consistently supported a settlement based on UN resolutions and the reunification of Cyprus, while rejecting a two state solution.

Mitsotakis also raised the issue during his address to the UN General Assembly, highlighting the continuing division of the island and Greece’s position that the Cyprus issue must remain within the UN framework.

Netanyahu directly targets Erdogan over Cyprus

The Cyprus dispute also featured prominently in Benjamin Netanyahu’s UN General Assembly address.

The Israeli prime minister directly criticised Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and accused Turkey of illegally occupying the northern part of Cyprus, while also accusing Ankara of regularly acting against Greece.

Netanyahu’s remarks were delivered during his September 24 address to the UN General Assembly.

Turkey subsequently rejected Netanyahu’s comments, with Turkish presidential communications director Burhanettin Duran condemning the Israeli prime minister’s remarks.

Athens and Nicosia face a difficult diplomatic path

The latest diplomatic activity has demonstrated that there is still international interest in keeping the Cyprus process alive.

But the fundamental disagreement over the framework for a settlement remains unresolved.

For Nicosia, the objective remains a negotiated settlement within the established UN framework. Ankara and the Turkish Cypriot side continue to promote a different model centred on two states and political equality.

Until the two sides find sufficient common ground on that fundamental question, the prospects for a substantive restart of negotiations remain uncertain.

Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis is expected to continue diplomatic efforts alongside the UN and Cypriot government to identify a pathway back to negotiations.

For now, the New York meetings have generated diplomatic activity but no breakthrough on the central disagreement that has kept the Cyprus issue deadlocked.

Stay updated with the latest news from Greece and around the world on greekcitytimes.com.
Contact our newsroom to share your updates, stories, photos, or videos. Follow GCT on Google News and Apple News.