ANKARA

Leaders at an informal meeting on the Cyprus issue in Geneva agreed on various cooperation efforts, including opening new crossing points, demining operations and generating solar energy in the island’s UN buffer zone, Türkiye said Tuesday.

In the absence of common ground for a final resolution to the Cyprus issue, discussions focused on areas that could benefit both communities, said Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oncu Keceli.

Leaders of both states on the island also reached agreement on environmental and climate issues, restoring cemeteries and forming a technical committee on youth initiatives.

Highlighting the meeting as a significant step in improving good neighborly relations between the two states on the island, Keceli said another informal meeting in a similar format is scheduled for July.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who hosted this week’s meeting, is expected to appoint a personal envoy for the issue, he said, adding that Türkiye will continue efforts to foster a culture of cooperation between the two sides in close consultation with the leadership of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

Sovereign equality, equal international status

TRNC President Ersin Tatar, speaking after the meeting, emphasized that official negotiations can only resume if sovereign equality and equal international status are recognized, saying: "We cannot continue without this."

He noted that the gathering took place in a constructive atmosphere and that they aimed to open a new chapter for cooperation on the island.

He also confirmed that another meeting in the same format is expected at the end of July and that there is an agreement to open four new crossing points.

He added that Guterres will appoint a personal special representative to facilitate discussions and preparations for the next meeting.

Tatar also said that a proposal to establish a "Cyprus Cooperation Council" was rejected by Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides.

Additionally, he stressed the need to lift restrictions on Turkish Cypriots, including direct flights, direct trade and direct contact, arguing that their continued exclusion from the international system has prolonged the Cyprus issue.

The Geneva meeting brought together representatives from the TRNC, the Greek Cypriot administration and the three guarantor powers – Türkiye, Greece and the UK.

Participants included TRNC President Ersin Tatar, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides, Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis and UK Minister of State for Europe, North America and Overseas Territories Stephen Doughty along with their respective delegations.

Decades-long Cyprus problem

The Cyprus dispute has persisted for decades, with the island divided since 1974 following a Greek-backed coup and Türkiye's subsequent military intervention. As a result, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was established in 1983.

There has been an on-and-off peace process in recent years, including a failed 2017 initiative in Crans-Montana, Switzerland under the auspices of the guarantor countries.

The Greek Cypriot administration joined the European Union in 2004 – the same year that Greek Cypriots rejected a UN plan to resolve the dispute in a referendum.

In the most recent attempt to break the deadlock, a three-day meeting was held in Geneva in 2021. However, Guterres concluded that there was still not enough common ground to resume formal negotiations.