United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that talks on the future of Cyprus had made progress for the first time in years, with both sides agreeing a series of initiatives including the opening of crossing points.
"Discussions were held in a constructive atmosphere with both sides showing clear commitment to making progress and continuing dialogue," Guterres told reporters at the end of a two-day meeting in Geneva.
The island was split in a Turkish invasion in 1974 after a brief Greek-inspired coup, following years of sporadic violence between Greek and Turkish Cypriots almost immediately after independence from Britain in 1960. The island is a key source of disagreement between NATO allies Greece and Turkey, fiercely defensive of their respective kin on the island.
As part of new confidence-building measures the two sides agreed to open four crossing points, demining, establish a youth affairs committee, and launch environmental and solar energy projects.
"Today there was meaningful progress," Guterres said, hailing a "new atmosphere" in the multi-year talks which have been deadlocked since 2017.
The two sides agreed to another meeting at the end of July and to a new UN special envoy, he added.
Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar told reporters he was "satisfied" with the discussions held with his Greek Cypriot counterpart and representatives from Greece, Turkey and Britain.
"We are faced with two options either we continue the way we are with all the repercussions, or build the future of the island together," Tatar said.
"It's a first, positive step towards restarting talks," said Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides. "That's the goal. We aren't there yet, but it's an important first step."
Despite agreeing to confidence building measures, the Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides are still at odds over how any settlement will work.
Greek Cypriots want a federation, a model prescribed by U.N. resolutions, while Turkish Cypriots advocate for a two-state solution, arguing that decades of failed negotiations have proven a federal model unworkable.
Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis underscored the importance of ongoing dialogue, despite differences.
"The only solution is the reunification of the island," he said.
The United Nations chief has voiced deep concern on Wednesday over the escalating military strikes between Israel and Iran, calling for immediate de-escalation and warning against further international involvement.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appeals for calm and diplomacy as Israel and Iran exchange deadly attacks, raising fears of broader regional conflict.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has voiced deep concern over the US decision to sanction four International Criminal Court (ICC) judges, accused by the US of alleged transgressions.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has urged maximum restraint following India’s missile strikes on Pakistani territory, warning that a military confrontation between the two countries would carry global consequences.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on world leaders to urgently step up climate efforts ahead of COP30, stressing that the planet faces deepening threats from worsening environmental disasters.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’s multi-day wedding in Venice is making headlines—not just for its celebrity guest list and luxury, but also for the backlash it has sparked among local activists.
The man behind one of Japan’s most disturbing serial murder cases—dubbed the ‘Twitter killer’—has been executed, breaking a nearly three-year pause in the country’s use of capital punishment.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Thursday that Tehran has not made any decision to begin new nuclear talks with the United States, dismissing recent claims by President Donald Trump about a planned meeting.
SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son said on Friday the group aims to become the world’s top platform provider for artificial super intelligence within the next decade, signaling a bold new direction for the Japanese tech giant.
The U.S. economy faces a 40% risk of recession in the second half of 2025, JP Morgan analysts said on Wednesday, citing rising tariffs and stagflation concerns.
Iran launched 18 ballistic missiles late Sunday targeting the U.S. military’s Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest American installation in the Middle East.
A high-speed tram derailment in central Gothenburg, Sweden, has left at least eight people injured late on Thursday (19 June), after the vehicle slammed into a snack bar on Avenyn Avenue.
Wizz Air has suspended all flights to and from Tel Aviv, Israel, and its European services to Amman, Jordan, effective immediately until 15 September due to escalating situation in the Middle East. Also, the air carrier temporarily suspended its flights between Astana, Kazakhstan, and Abu Dhabi.
China has unveiled a mosquito-sized bionic drone designed for covert military operations and battlefield reconnaissance, marking a major advance in micro-robotics and stealth technology as part of the country’s growing focus on next-generation warfare capabilities.
The U.S. Embassy in Qatar has advised American citizens to shelter in place amid rising tensions between Israel and Iran, as part of a broader global security alert issued by Washington.
A fire that broke out Thursday evening at the 'Azerbaijanfilm' studio in Baku has been brought under control, following an explosion reported in an old pyrotechnics area of the complex.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Israel’s recent victory in its conflict with Iran opens a path to expanded peace deals, including the possible addition of Saudi Arabia and Syria to the Abraham Accords.
A key unit at Iran’s South Pars gas field, damaged during Israel’s first strike on the country’s energy infrastructure, has resumed operations just 10 days after the attack.
Uzbekistan’s economy is set to expand by 6.5 percent by the end of 2025, driven by rising household income and sustained investment, according to the Eurasian Development Bank.
Kazakhstan will create six new nature conservation institutions to preserve biodiversity, aiming to increase protected territories to 12.5% of the national area.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’s multi-day wedding in Venice is making headlines—not just for its celebrity guest list and luxury, but also for the backlash it has sparked among local activists.
The man behind one of Japan’s most disturbing serial murder cases—dubbed the ‘Twitter killer’—has been executed, breaking a nearly three-year pause in the country’s use of capital punishment.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Thursday that Tehran has not made any decision to begin new nuclear talks with the United States, dismissing recent claims by President Donald Trump about a planned meeting.
SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son said on Friday the group aims to become the world’s top platform provider for artificial super intelligence within the next decade, signaling a bold new direction for the Japanese tech giant.
The U.S. economy faces a 40% risk of recession in the second half of 2025, JP Morgan analysts said on Wednesday, citing rising tariffs and stagflation concerns.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment