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Cyprus settlement discussed by Britain, Turkey and Greece

January 12, 2017 at 4:46 pm

Cyprus reunification talks in Geneva [Mustafa Yalçın/Anadolu]

The foreign ministers of Britain, Greece and Turkey arrived in Geneva today in an attempt to thrash out a security deal for a settlement to reunite Cyprus that has been divided between Greek and Turkish controlled halves since 1974.

The three post-colonial guarantor powers joined talks aimed at bringing peace to the island. For the first time in decades, the three countries were to address a 1960 treaty which allows intervention in Cyprus, a pretext used by Turkey to intervene in the island in the past.

Cyprus was split following a Turkish invasion in 1974 after a coup engineered by the Cypriot military junta attempted to allow Greece annex the Mediterranean island. It has been divided ever since, with Turkish Cypriots in its north and Greek Cypriots in its south.

Respective leaders of the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities have been in Geneva for four days trying to reach a deal which would see the country united again under a two-state federation.

With Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim agreeing to attend, Britain is optimistic in creating a framework which all sides can agree on. Turkey has always said it would only be represented at such a senior level at the conference if there was serious progress.

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said in a statement: “I welcome the continued courage and commitment that has been shown by both sides.” He further stated that “the talks in Geneva on the Cyprus settlement offer both sides a unique opportunity to find a solution” before concluding his remarks confirming London’s willingness to help in any way it could.

Greek Cypriots, who represent Cyprus in the EU, want the guarantor system dismantled because of Turkey’s invasion in 1974. Turkish Cypriots, who were massacred by Greek Cypriot nationalists before Ankara intervened to protect them, want Turkish guarantees maintained.

According to Reuters both sides submitted proposals on how to define the boundaries between the two sides. Greek and Turkish Cypriots plan to submit maps to the United Nations detailing their proposals on territorial boundaries between constituent states in a two-zone federation.

Britain, the former colonial power in Cyprus, has offered to relinquish about fifty per cent of territory it still retains on the island, known as sovereign base areas, to facilitate a deal.

One of its two bases in Cyprus, Akrotiri, is a Royal Air Force outpost which has been instrumental in attacking Daesh targets in Iraq.