Politics of Cyprus

A new era began in northern Cyprus on April 26 with the election of Mustafa Ak?nc? as president of Turkish Cyprus. Not because Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an slammed Ak?nc? over his description of his country?s relationship with Turkey as ?two equal brothers? instead of ?motherland and babyland,?

The President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades and his newly elected Turkish Cypriot counterpart Mustafa Akinci will meet on Saturday in attempt to revive talks on possible reconciliation.

It is expected that the two presidents will discuss the resumption of negotiations ahead of a new round of UN-mediated talks on reunification of the divided island.

By Michele Kambas

Greek Cypriots unveiled measures on Tuesday to boost trust across the ethnically divided island, and announced that rival leaders would hold their first meeting in months on May 2.

Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades will meet newly elected Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Ak?nc? on May 2 to push stalled peace talks forward, a Greek Cypriot government spokesman said on April 28.

Nikos Christodoulides also said the Greek Cypriot community was poised to announce "unilateral confidence building measures" towards Turkish Cypriots. 

NICOSIA - Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades will meet the newly elected leader of the divided island's breakaway Turkish north, Mustafa Akinci, on May 2 in an attempt to push stalled peace talks forward, a Cypriot government spokesman said on Tuesday.

Greek Cypriots welcomed the election of a moderate Turkish Cypriot leader in northern Cyprus on Monday, saying they anticipated a swift resumption of stalled peace talks.

Sunday?s presidential elections in northern Cyprus will usher the island into a new and challenging phase.

Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias informed United Nations Secretary-General Ban-Ki moon on Friday about his positions regarding the removal of Greek and Turkish troops from Cyprus as part of the effort to reunify the island.

US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Tuesday that the division of Cyprus was begging for an international solution and progress in peace talks was possible this year.

Speaking before a meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu at the State Department, Kerry said the dispute over ethnically split Cyprus had gone on for too long.

Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias is due to begin a five-day visit to the US on Monday, April 20.

He will begin his trip by meeting Secretary of State John Kerry in Washington, where he will also hold talks with National Security Adviser Susan Rice.