The Cyprus issue and Greece

The talks between Nicos Anastasiades and Mustafa Akinci in Switzerland, far from the pressures of Cyprus, allow us to hope that a solution may be near. The road will be long but the fact that the thorny issue of territory is being discussed is encouraging.

It is worth noting, also, that after a century of intensive involvement in the Cyprus issue, Greece is all but absent. Turkey does not allow the Turkish Cypriots any breathing space and may still torpedo the process at any moment. As regards the Greek side, developments are in Cypriot hands. Until now, Greece's most positive contribution was the strong support it gave to Cyprus's EU accession in 2004.

For the most part, however, outside intervention on Cyprus was disastrous - to a greater or lesser extent - for the people of Cyprus but also for Greece and Turkey. The balance of power and tensions between Greece and...