Politics of Cyprus

The UN secretary-general on June 9 announced a Cyprus conference in Geneva on June 28, following a meeting with Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders. 

The conference will host Turkish Cypriot President Mustafa Akıncı and Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement through his spokesman. 

Will U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres bring back life to the Cyprus talks process murdered in cold blood by the greed of Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades? Will this last attempt to salvage the sunken Cyprus ship succeed?

Could anyone imagine, let's say 10 years ago, that the majority partner in the Turkish Cypriot ruling coalition, the National Unity Party (UBP), would be plunged into serious internal strife because Prime Minister Hüseyin Özgürgün agreed to lease 200 acres of land in Nicosia for the establishment of a "Rauf Denktaş University?"

Commenting on the long expected and highly anticipated collapse of the Cyprus talks process, Turkish Cypriot President Mustafa Akıncı placed the blame on the shoulders of his Greek Cypriot counterpart Nikos Anastasiades. After, Anastasiades shot back with an equally blunt statement, claiming it was Akıncı who objected the modality of the talks and landed the process in a deadlock.

Dozens of Greek and Turkish Cypriots have linked arms across a U.N.-controlled buffer zone cutting across Nicosia to voice their support for a reunification agreement.

The presidential elections in Greek Cyprus are ever more interesting for various reasons. Three camps have already formed.

With talks on reuniting the island apparently faltering, Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades will present his plan for a settlement to party leaders on Monday, according to Cypriot Government Spokesman Nikos Christodoulides.

U.N.-backed Cyprus reunification talks have hit a snag with the two leaders of the divided island at loggerheads over a possible summit in Geneva.

"Currently, we have reached a critical juncture in the process, since discussions are underway for the next steps forward," President Nicos Anastasiades said on May 19 at a Council of Europe ministerial committee session in Nicosia.

Recent news reports indicate that Greek Foreign Minister Nicos Kotzias sent a letter on April 7 to U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres in which he sharply criticized Espen Barth Eide, the U.N. chief's special adviser on Cyprus, accusing him, inter alia, of acting to promote the interests of the Turkish side.

Talks aimed at reunifying Cyprus are at risk of collapsing due to a possible "international crisis" centered on the eastern Mediterranean island, according to a United Nations envoy facilitating the negotiations.