Cyprus peace process

The President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nicos Anastasiades gave an interview to Euronews explaining Cyprus’ position on the issue

The informal 5+1 Cyprus talks in Geneva are a turning point for northern Cypriots, the foreign minister of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) said on May 12. 

The German foreign ministry has weighed in on the as yet fruitless effort to reach a Cyprus settlement, rejecting the position of Ankara and the Turkish Cypriot community which is a two-state solution that effectively recognises de jure the 46-year Turkish occupation of over one-third of the island following its 1974 invasion and occupation.

Turkey and Turkish Cyprus have blamed Greek Cyprus for failing to introduce a new vision for ending the stalemate on the island as a result of a two-day-long U.N.-led conference in Geneva, underlining they will continue to work for a two-state solution.

Turkey's foreign minister on April 16 reaffirmed that the upcoming Geneva talks on the Cyprus issue will be an informal one.

"The meeting in Geneva will be informal. There will be no new negotiations to be held there," Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said at a joint news conference with Ersin Tatar, president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar has reiterated that a two-state solution is the only way for both peoples to live peacefully in coexistence on the island, citing that equality will remain on paper in the event of a possible federal solution.

Turkey will only join talks to resolve decades of dispute over Cyprus with a proposal to establish two states on the island, presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said on Thursday, adding previous failed proposals should not be on the agenda.

Turkey will not negotiate anything but the two-state formula for resolving the decades-old deadlock in Cyprus, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said, slamming both Greece and Greek Cyprus for their continued ignorance of the presence and rights of the Turkish Cypriot community on the island.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that the only way to resolve decades of dispute over Cyprus was to establish two states on the island, and a federation favored by Athens would not be on the agenda of upcoming talks.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Monday that the long-established federal formula is the only way forward in Cyprus reunification talks.

"Ending Turkish occupation and finding a viable solution are a fundamental Greek foreign policy priority," Mitsotakis said after a meeting with Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades in Nicosia.