UN: Cyprus reunification talks to resume
The leaders of ethnically-split Cyprus have agreed to restart peace talks in a bid to reunify the island. The election of a moderate leftist Turkish Cypriot has raised hopes of a breakthrough after 40 years of division.
A United Nations envoy said the leaders planned to resume the stalled talks on Friday May 15, seizing a "unique opportunity" for peace on an island that's been divided along ethnic lines since 1974. Diplomat Espen Barth Eide made the announcement after hosting a dinner between Greek Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and newly-elected Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci. "They agreed it was important to use the momentum created and opportunity to move forward without delay," Eide told journalists in the capital Nicosia. It was the first meeting between the two leaders since Akinci, a moderate leftist and reunification advocate, defeated veteran nationalist Dervis Eroglu in elections last month. It's believed the leadership change could give new momentum to reunification efforts. Eide, a former foreign minister for Norway, said Friday's talks would involve a "general exchange of views" and address the structure of future negotiations. "I think this is a unique opportunity that will be grasped and it's truly rewarding to work with two leaders with such a strong commitment to seeing a shared challenge that can only be solved through shared effort." Four-decade split The Mediterranean island split into a Turkish North and a Greek-supported South in 1974, when the Turkish army invaded, itself in response to a coup seeking a union with Greece. Since then, there have been a number of failed attempts at peace. In October, Greek Cypriots walked away from UN-brokered talks in protest of Turkish exploration of the island's offshore oil and gas reserves. Although the rival sides agree that there should be a two-state federation, negotiations have stalled on issues such as territorial adjustments, security, property rights of internally displaced people, and power sharing. Turkey supports Northern Cyprus militarily and financially, and is the only country to recognize it as a separate state. The Greek Cypriot leadership theoretically represents the whole island in the European Union, although it technically only governs the south. nm/msh (Reuters, AP, AFP)
UN
United_Nations UN_(band) Un_(album) United_Nations_Command U.N._(group) Union_Nationale_(Quebec) National_Unity_(Peru) UN_(album) National_Union_(Spain) Parti_Unité_Nationale United_Nations_Interim_Administration_Mission_in_Kosovo United_Nations_System Peacekeeping United_Nations_Mission_in_Sierra_Leone Headquarters_of_the_United_Nations United_Nations_Security_Council_Resolution_1874
Cyprus
Cyprus Cyprus_national_football_team Recognition_of_same-sex_unions_in_Cyprus Cyprus_Football_Association Kingdom_of_Cyprus Cyprus_in_the_Eurovision_Song_Contest British_Cyprus Cyprus_national_under-21_football_team Football_in_Cyprus Cyprus_Davis_Cup_team Ottoman_Cyprus Roman_Cyprus Ancient_history_of_Cyprus Church_of_Cyprus Cyprus_national_basketball_team Cyprus_Basketball_Division_A
Cyprus
Cyprus Cyprus_national_football_team Recognition_of_same-sex_unions_in_Cyprus Cyprus_Football_Association Kingdom_of_Cyprus Cyprus_in_the_Eurovision_Song_Contest British_Cyprus Cyprus_national_under-21_football_team Football_in_Cyprus Cyprus_Davis_Cup_team Ottoman_Cyprus Roman_Cyprus Ancient_history_of_Cyprus Church_of_Cyprus Cyprus_national_basketball_team Cyprus_Basketball_Division_A
Turkish
Cypriot
United Nations
United_Nations United_Nations_Command Headquarters_of_the_United_Nations United_Nations_(band) United_States_Ambassador_to_the_United_Nations United_Nations_System United_Nations_Office_at_Geneva United_Nations_General_Assembly United_Nations_(gang) United_Nations_Office_at_Vienna Allies_of_World_War_II United_Nations_(Rui_En_album) United_Nations_peacekeeping Declaration_by_United_Nations United_Nations_(United_Nations_album) United_Nations_Stakes
Friday May 15
1974
Diplomat
Espen Barth Eide
Espen_Barth_Eide
Greek
Cypriot
President
Nicos Anastasiades
Nicos_Anastasiades
Turkish
Cypriot
leader
Mustafa Akinci
Mustafa_Akıncı
Eide
Eide Anders_Eide Eide,_Aust-Agder Eide,_Møre_og_Romsdal EIDE Eide,_Bø Granvin_(village) Mari_Eide Parallel_ATA
capital
Nicosia
Nicosia Nicosia_District Nicosia,_Sicily North_Nicosia Nicosia_Armenian_school Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_Nicosia,_Sicily Holy_Mother_of_God_Cathedral,_Nicosia Latin_Catholic_Archdiocese_of_Nicosia Nicosia_International_Airport Armenian_Genocide_Monument_in_Nicosia GSP_Stadium RAF_Nicosia
Akinci
Akinji
nationalist
Dervis Eroglu
Derviş_Eroğlu
Eide
Eide Anders_Eide Eide,_Aust-Agder Eide,_Møre_og_Romsdal EIDE Eide,_Bø Granvin_(village) Mari_Eide Parallel_ATA
Norway
Norway Norway_national_football_team Norway_women's_national_football_team Football_Association_of_Norway VG-lista Same-sex_marriage_in_Norway ISU_Junior_Grand_Prix_in_Norway Norway_national_under-21_football_team Norway_men's_national_ice_hockey_team Norway_women's_national_handball_team Norwegian_Campaign Norway_national_handball_team Norway_Fed_Cup_team Norway,_Maine Norway_national_cricket_team Norway_at_the_1920_Summer_Olympics
Friday
Mediterranean
Turkish
North
North_America North North_Korea North_Island North_Carolina North_Province_(Western_Australia) Northern_United_States North_(1994_film) North_of_England_cricket_team True_north Northern_Province,_Sri_Lanka F.C._Copenhagen North_Dakota North_Vietnam North_Africa North_Sea
Greek
South
Southern_United_States South South_Asia South_America Southern_Ukraine South_of_Scotland_District_(rugby_union) Southern_Province_(Victoria) South_Island South_Province_(Western_Australia) South_of_England_cricket_team South_Korea South_(European_Parliament_constituency) Latitude Confederate_States_of_America Senior_League_World_Series_(South_Region) Football_League_Third_Division_South
1974
Turkish
Greece
Greece Greece_national_football_team Kingdom_of_Greece Ancient_Greece Greece_national_basketball_team Greek_Basket_League Hellenic_Football_Federation Battle_of_Greece Recognition_of_same-sex_unions_in_Greece Greece_(town),_New_York Greece_national_under-21_football_team Greece_women's_national_football_team Greece_in_the_Eurovision_Song_Contest Second_Hellenic_Republic Greece_Fed_Cup_team Greece_(European_Parliament_constituency)
October
Greek Cypriots
UN
United_Nations UN_(band) Un_(album) United_Nations_Command U.N._(group) Union_Nationale_(Quebec) National_Unity_(Peru) UN_(album) National_Union_(Spain) Parti_Unité_Nationale United_Nations_Interim_Administration_Mission_in_Kosovo United_Nations_System Peacekeeping United_Nations_Mission_in_Sierra_Leone Headquarters_of_the_United_Nations United_Nations_Security_Council_Resolution_1874
Turkish
Turkey
Turkey Turkey_national_football_team Turkey_(bird) Basketbol_Süper_Ligi Turkish_Football_Federation Turkey_as_food Ottoman_Empire Wild_turkey Turkey_national_basketball_team ISU_Junior_Grand_Prix_in_Turkey Domestic_turkey Turkey_national_under-21_football_team Turkey_Fed_Cup_team Turkey_national_under-19_football_team Turkey_women's_national_football_team Turkey_women's_national_volleyball_team
Northern Cyprus
Northern_Cyprus Northern_Cyprus_national_football_team LGBT_rights_in_Northern_Cyprus Elections_in_Northern_Cyprus Northern_Cyprus_in_the_Turkvision_Song_Contest Women_in_Northern_Cyprus List_of_political_parties_in_Northern_Cyprus Flag_of_Northern_Cyprus Visa_requirements_for_Northern_Cypriot_citizens Northern_Cyprus_in_the_Bala_Turkvision_Song_Contest List_of_museums_in_Northern_Cyprus Education_in_Northern_Cyprus Security_Forces_Command Rugby_union_in_Cyprus Northern_Cypriot_passport List_of_Presidents_of_Northern_Cyprus
Greek Cypriot
European Union
European_Union European_Boxing_Union Member_state_of_the_European_Union European_Union_(resistance_group) Citizenship_of_the_European_Union Renewable_energy_in_the_European_Union European_Union_law Accession_of_Albania_to_the_European_Union Elections_to_the_European_Parliament Solar_energy_in_the_European_Union European_Union_Special_Representative European_Economic_Community Flag_of_Europe Pakistan–European_Union_relations LGBT_rights_in_the_European_Union History_of_the_European_Union
nm/msh (Reuters, AP, AFP)
Northern Cyprus
Northern_Cyprus
meta::todo topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe0 type::location
Cyprus
Cyprus
meta::todo slot::in slot::keyword topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe0 type::location
United Nations
United_Nations
iptc::11000000 slot::keyword topic::politics type::entity type::igo type::organization
Espen Barth Eide
Espen_Barth_Eide
gender::male iptc::11000000 slot::keyword topic::politics type::entity type::gov_per type::person
Nicos Anastasiades
Nicos_Anastasiades
gender::male iptc::11000000 slot::keyword topic::politics type::entity type::head_of_state type::person type::politician
Mustafa Akinci
Mustafa_Akıncı
gender::male iptc::11000000 slot::keyword topic::politics type::entity type::head_of_state type::person type::politician
Turkish
topic::none type::gpe0-x type::other
Cypriot
topic::none type::gpe0-x type::other
Friday May 15
topic::none type::time type::value
1974
topic::none type::time type::value
Diplomat
topic::none type::role type::value
Greek
topic::none type::gpe0-x type::other
President
topic::none type::role type::value
leader
topic::none type::role type::value
capital
topic::none type::role type::value
Nicosia
Nicosia
topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe2 type::location
nationalist
topic::none type::role type::value
Dervis Eroglu
Derviş_Eroğlu
gender::male iptc::11000000 topic::politics type::entity type::head_of_state type::person type::politician
Norway
Norway
topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe0 type::location
Friday
topic::none type::time type::value
Mediterranean
topic::none type::loc-x type::other
Greece
Greece
topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe0 type::location
October
topic::none type::time type::value
Greek Cypriots
topic::none type::loc-x type::other
Turkey
Turkey
topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe0 type::location
Greek Cypriot
topic::none type::loc-x type::other
European Union
European_Union
iptc::11000000 topic::politics type::entity type::igo type::organization type::so
nm/msh (Reuters, AP, AFP)
topic::none type::footer type::other