UN-Brokered Cyprus Peace Talks Enter ‘Decisive’ Security Phase

The UN-brokered Cyprus peace negotiations are at a critical stage as the parties begin focusing on issues related to security and guarantees, spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a briefing.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — On Friday, Dujarric said that the negotiations to resolve the border dispute between Cyprus and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) had entered "decisive phase."

“We are at a very decisive phase in the Cyprus peace talks,” Dujarric stated on Friday. “It’s the first time that we are seeing negotiations on the chapter of security and guarantees that will be addressed with the added participation of the guarantor powers.”

With the support of UN envoy Espen Barth Eide, Dujarric added, the parties have made great strides and now is the time to support the process and see if the two sides can bridge gaps.

On December 1, Turkish Cypriot Leader Mustafa Akinci and President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades met in a UN-protected buffer zone with participation of Eide and exchanged opinions on further steps to resolve the border dispute after the latest round of UN-backed talks on the reunification of Cyprus failed in late November.

Cyprus has been partitioned since 1974, when Turkey occupied the island's north, later proclaiming the TRNC. Turkey maintains military presence in TRNC, which is only recognized by Ankara as an independent state.

 

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