The leaders and representatives of Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot political parties have encouraged both leaders on the island to overcome any difficulties in reference to the UNSG suggestion for the opening of more crossing points, as a means to strengthen bonds. At the same time, they called for focusing on the main issues of the Cyprus problem, as expressed in the Guterres framework of 2017.

The position of the leaders is included in a joint communique issued on Wednesday after the bicommunal meeting of the Leaders and Representatives of the G/C and T/C political parties participating in the bicommunal dialogue under the auspices of the Embassy of the Slovak Republic in Nicosia at the Ledra Palace.

In the communique, the leaders expressed opinions on the topic proposed by the hosting party – Democratic Alignment-Cooperation of Democratic Forces (DEPA): “The Road Ahead for Cyprus Talks – Do we all share the same vision for Cyprus to become a normal European State?”

Delegates exchanged ideas on the agreement reached during the latest trilateral meeting of 15 October 2024, between the UNSG and the Leaders of the two communities in Cyprus, President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, concerning the adoption of two specific measures in the context of the UNSG’s efforts to resume negotiations on the Cyprus Problem.

The Delegates, said the communique, “expressed concern regarding the outcome of the meeting of the Leaders of the two communities on 20 January 2025. They encourage both leaders to overcome any difficulties in reference to the UNSG suggestion for the opening of more crossing points, as a means to strengthen bonds, relations and trust between the two communities and to improve their daily reality. Furthermore, they encourage the UN-led efforts to get negotiations back on track, ending the seven-year stalemate”.

At the same time, they noted that “the pillars of a possible solution to the Cyprus problem should not only be based on the opening of further crossing points, rather focus on the main issues of the Cyprus problem, as expressed in the Guterres framework of 2017, seeking a solution based on the agreed framework and the existing body of work, terminating the status quo, which is admittedly unacceptable”.

All Cypriots, it added, “deserve to live in a normal European country and enjoy the same common values as all members of the European Union”.

The next meeting of the leaders and representatives of the political parties will be held on 26 February 2025 with Democratic Party (DIKO) as the hosting party.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.