UNITED NATIONS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 26th November, 2019) United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement he would study with the Turkish and Greek Cypriots' leaders the possibility to hold an informal five-plus-UN meeting.
Earlier in the day, Guterres met with the leaders of the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriot communities Nicos Anastasiades and Mustafa Akinci in Berlin to discuss the reunification of Cyprus.
"I committed to explore with the Turkish Cypriot leader and the Greek Cypriot leader and with the Guarantor powers [Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom] the possibility to convene an informal five-plus-UN meeting at an appropriate stage," Guterres said on Monday.
Guterres also said that during the meeting, Anastasiades and Akinci reaffirmed their determination to achieve a settlement based on a bi-zonal and bi-communal federation with political equality and agreed that the current situation in the region is unsustainable.
The Secretary-General pointed out that the discussions were "focused" and "frank," and both leaders affirmed their commitment to the Joint Declaration made on February 11, 2014, and the six-point framework that Guterres presented on June 30, 2017, aiming to achieve an agreement that would lead to a comprehensive settlement.
Anastasiades hailed the informal three-hour talks as positive step toward .
"Despite all of the known difficulties [on the issue] the results of today's meeting are the first positive step toward the renewal of talks," the Cypriot leader said, adding that he believed it was important that the Secretary-General confirmed his intentions to cooperate with the leaders of both sides as well as with the guarantor-states.
Cyprus has been split between the Greek and Turkish communities since 1974 when Turkey occupied the island's north. In 1983, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus declared its independence, without being recognized by any country except for Turkey. UN-backed attempts to unite Cyprus have been unsuccessful so far, with the dialogue stalled since the last round of talks in Switzerland's Crans-Montana in 2017.
