EU help in healing Cyprus' ethnic split could bring benefits to all, officials say

Officials accidental the European Union tin assistance resoluteness Cyprus’ decades-old taste part by underscoring that a bid accord could bring benefits and a important betterment successful relations with the 27-member bloc

NICOSIA, Cyprus -- The European Union tin assistance resoluteness Cyprus’ decades-old taste part by underscoring to each sides successful the quality that a bid accord would bring with benefits and a important betterment successful relations with the 27-member bloc, officials said Tuesday.

Johannes Hahn, the EU envoy for Cyprus, held his archetypal gathering Tuesday with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides successful his caller capacity, which officials anticipation volition physique momentum toward reviving stalled negotiations led by the United Nations.

Cyprus was cleaved on taste lines successful 1974 erstwhile Turkey invaded successful the aftermath of a coup that aimed to unify the land with Greece. Only Turkey recognizes a 1983 Turkish Cypriot declaration of independency successful the island’s bluish 3rd wherever Turkey maintains much than 35,000 troops.

Hahn said aft the treatment with Christodoulides Tuesday that helium would scope retired to each stakeholders, including Turkey, to assistance physique assurance and enactment for Maria Angela Holguin, who is heading up bid efforts arsenic the envoy to Cyprus representing U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Asked however the EU could assistance span what look to beryllium diametrically opposed positions held by the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot sides, Hahn said “all parties person peculiar interests related to the European Union and this is precisely what I effort to fig retired successful each my meetings.”

Although Cyprus joined the EU successful 2004, lone the confederate Greek Cypriot portion wherever the internationally recognized authorities is seated enjoys afloat rank benefits.

Turkey began EU rank talks successful 2005, but those person stalled implicit its refusal to admit the Cypriot authorities arsenic the island’s sole ineligible authority. Turkey remains keen to reason visa liberalization talks with the EU that began successful 2013.

Cyprus backs person EU-Turkey ties arsenic agelong arsenic determination is wide advancement connected Cyprus bid talks, authorities spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis said.

The superior obstacle to restarting bid talks is Turkish and Turkish Cypriot insistence connected a woody that would admit 2 states connected the island. This goes against a bid blueprint endorsed by the the U.N. Security Council that foresees a federated Cyprus with Greek-speaking and Turkish-speaking zones.

Greek Cypriots cull immoderate statement that would formalize partition, fearing Turkey would question to power the full land successful airy of its request to support a imperishable unit beingness and subject involution rights successful Cyprus. Turkey besides insists the number Turkish Cypriots should person veto rights implicit each national authorities decisions.

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