Cyprus
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UNFICYP
UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UN-led)
Authorization date: 03/64
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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan appeared to throw into doubt a new bid to restart dormant Cyprus reunification talks, saying Sunday that a two-state deal rather than the long-established federal formula is the way forward.
The leaders of the divided island of Cyprus have met in the capital Nicosia, in an encounter convened by the United Nations, the Secretary-General’s Good Offices Mission in Cyprus said on Tuesday. The meeting is the first between the Greek Cypriot leader, Nicos Anastasiades, and the Turkish Cypriot leader, Ersin Tatar, since the latter assumed his post following elections last month.
A hardliner who favors even closer ties with Turkey and a tougher stance with rival Greek Cypriots in peace talks has defeated the leftist incumbent in the Turkish Cypriot leadership runoff Sunday.
Turkish Cypriots began voting Sunday for a leader tasked with overcoming their deep political chasms with Greek Cypriots in order to pave the way for a deal to end 46 years of ethnic division in Cyprus and quell tensions over offshore energy reserves.
The United States said Wednesday it plans to conduct military training with Cyprus for the first time, defying NATO ally Turkey, which warned of destabilization. The US Congress last year ended a decades-long arms embargo on the island, whose northern third is occupied by Turkey. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the State Department for the first time will fund military training for the Republic of Cyprus as part of “our expanding security relationship.”
[…] In an interview with the Guardian, Mustafa Akinci said the differences between the two sides were growing more entrenched every year, diminishing the prospect of reunification. “We need to hurry up. After all these years we have come to a crossroads, a decisive moment,” he said.
The UN Secretary-General held “focused and frank” informal talks with the leaders of the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities on Monday in order to “take stock of efforts” to finally reach a settlement over the divided Mediterranean island.