Politics of Cyprus

Beleaguered UN envoy Espen Barth Eide will come back to the island next week to say goodbye, informed sources told the Cyprus Weekly earlier this week.

“He is running for MP in his country’s elections, he can’t have it all, he is coming back for a farewell, there is nothing planned as far as the (UN-brokered reunification) talks are concerned,” an insider said on Thursday.

President Nicos Anastasiades announced on Wednesday that he had decided to back down on his decision to controversially make public the minutes of meeting during the peace talks in Crans-Montana following a plea from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

A United Nations envoy said Monday that he sees little chance that talks to reunify ethnically split Cyprus would restart anytime soon after their collapse in Switzerland earlier this month.

Government Spokesman Nicos Christodoulides says the minutes of Crans-Montana meetings may have to be made public unless the UN Secretary-General’s Special Adviser for Cyprus Espen Barth Eide changes his tune on the collapse of the talks.

The United States on July 6 urged the reunification of Cyprus and called on the opposing Greek Cypriot and Turkish sides to reach a settlement, the White House said after a call between U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and leaders on both sides.
     

The Cyprus talks in the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana are due to continue on a more optimistic note Monday as United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said that there is a "clear understanding" between the Greek and Turkish sides with regard to what is needed to reach a comprehensive deal.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres joined the Conference for Cyprus in Crans-Montana, Switzerland on Friday.

Efforts to find a solution to the Cyprus problem are continuing with focus on the security and guarantee issues.

​Turkey has urged a "fair and lasting" solution at the new round of Cyprus talks, an official familiar with the matter has told the Hürriyet Daily News, as the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders began key talks on June 28 aimed at reunifying the Mediterranean island.   

The Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders, Mustafa Akıncı and Nikos Anastasiades, will meet in Crans-Montana, Switzerland on June 28. The meeting comes after strong pressure from U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Gueterres to hold another conference in order to bring the two parties closer to a breakthrough with the participation of three guarantor countries: Turkey, Greece and the United Kingdom.

Any progress in Switzerland depends on Turkey’s will and now is the time for Turkey, said President of the Republic Nicos Anastasiades. Speaking at a memorial service for the heroes of Spilion community on Sunday, the President said that the significance of the Switzerland talks do not alter key positions on the parameters for a just, viable and functional solution to the Cyprus problem.