UN chief makes rare Cyprus visit to help ease decades-old ethnic division
Summary
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres visited Cyprus to support efforts to resolve the island’s long-standing ethnic division. He met with leaders from both the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities and plans to involve key countries in peace talks to restart formal negotiations that have been paused for nearly ten years.Key Facts
- Guterres’s visit to Cyprus is the first by a U.N. chief in 16 years.
- Cyprus has been divided since 1974 following a Turkish invasion after a coup aimed at uniting with Greece.
- The northern part of Cyprus is controlled by Turkish Cypriots and recognized only by Turkey, which has over 35,000 troops there.
- The internationally recognized government is based in the southern part of Cyprus, which joined the EU in 2004.
- Peace talks mediated by the U.N. have repeatedly stalled since 1974.
- Guterres wants to bring together Greece, Turkey, and Britain, the countries guaranteeing Cyprus’s independence, to formally restart peace talks.
- A Cyprus peace deal would help stabilize the eastern Mediterranean and unlock natural gas resources for Europe.
- The U.N. Secretary-General’s visit shows a strong personal commitment to resolving the conflict before his term ends.
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