The United Nations is set to host another meeting between the divided leaders of Cyprus later this month, following a positive atmosphere in previous discussions aimed at restarting peace negotiations. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres is organizing this meeting between the leaders of the ethnically split island to continue fostering dialogue. According to U.N. spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, the informal gathering is scheduled for July 16-17 at the U.N. headquarters in New York. It aims to provide a platform for ongoing discussions and to reflect on advancements made since the last meeting in March.
At the earlier meeting, Greek Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar reached an agreement on several confidence-building initiatives. These included cooperation in energy, environmental projects, the opening of four new checkpoints along the U.N. buffer zone, youth initiatives, and demining operations.
The division of the Mediterranean island dates back to 1974 when Turkey invaded following a coup by supporters of uniting the island with Greece. The northern part of Cyprus is recognized only by Turkey, which maintains a military presence of over 35,000 troops. Peace talks have been at a standstill since 2017.
The newly appointed U.N. envoy, Maria Angela Holguin, concluded her initial visit to Cyprus in late May, emphasizing Guterres’s commitment to resuming peace talks. Despite this commitment, a significant breakthrough is unlikely at this month’s meeting due to the insistence by Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots on a two-state solution, which the Greek Cypriots categorically refuse.
The peace framework, endorsed by the United Nations, envisions a unified Cyprus operating as a federation comprising both Greek and Turkish Cypriot zones. Since his election in 2020, Tatar has been pushing for a two-state solution and is set to run for reelection in October with the same agenda, supported by Ankara.
Greek Cypriots remain firm on rejecting any solution that would officially partition the island, allow permanent Turkish troop presence, grant Turkey military intervention rights, or provide minority Turkish Cypriots with a veto in government decisions. Despite these significant differences, both sides have made progress on trust-building measures, such as developing a photovoltaic park within the buffer zone and restoring cemeteries on both sides of the divide.