Crans-Montana, Switzerland: Cypriot leaders resumed efforts on Wednesday to solve one of the world’s longest-running conflicts in what the United Nations billed as the “best chance” for lasting peace on the Mediterranean island.
Security was at the top of the agenda at the make-or-break talks in the Swiss Alpine resort of Crans-Montana geared towards ending the decades-old division between Greek and Turkish Cypriots.
“The atmosphere was positive... There was a remarkably positive attitude,” UN political affairs chief Jeffrey Feltman told reporters at the talks.
UN envoy Espen Barth Eide has presided over peace efforts since 2014, and the last round of talks in January ended with a number of issues —namely security, property and power sharing — unresolved.
“We had a good beginning, actually beyond what we expected,” Eide told reporters after the opening session on Wednesday morning.
“Hard work will remain... We will do what is possible to facilitate, but at the end of the day of course it’s the responsibility of the conference participants to go that final mile.”
President Nicos Anastasiades, the Greek Cypriot leader who heads the island’s internationally recognised government, and his Turkish Cypriot counterpart Mustafa Akinci are representing their respective communities during talks.
They were joined on Wednesday by the foreign ministers of Cyprus’s so-called guarantor powers, Greece and Turkey, along with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini.
British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson, whose country also acts as a guarantor and retains two military base areas on the island, left Crans-Montana after discussions with counterparts over dinner on Tuesday night.
Feltman said that Wednesday’s negotiations represented a “historic opportunity to solve a problem that has been there for decades.” He said UN chief Antonio Guterres would join the talks later this week. Front and centre at the Swiss Alps summit is a new security arrangement for a post-settlement federal Cyprus, particularly the presence of Turkish troops — historically a major sticking point in peace efforts.
Eide said progress was being made on other issues such as governance and power sharing, property, economy and EU matters, but added that “there are a few very important issues” yet to be resolved. Any deal would need to be put to dual votes among Greek and Turkish Cypriots. An agreement reached in 2004 was supported by Turkish Cypriots but overwhelmingly rejected by the island’s Greek speakers. A small group of demonstrators unfurled banners on Wednesday urging leaders to reach a lasting peace accord as official delegations arrived. — AFP
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