Cypriot leaders no closer to resuming stalled UN peace talks
Rival Cypriot leaders on Friday failed to break the deadlock in resuming stalled UN-backed peace talks that collapsed 25 months ago but agreed to meet UN chief Antonio Guterres in September.
“The two leaders also decided to announce their readiness to hold a tripartite meeting with the Secretary-General after the United Nations General Assembly in order to plan the way forward,” said a UN statement.
The United Nations on Friday hosted an informal threehour meeting between rival Cypriot leaders to try and move closer to resuming Cyprus reunification talks that crashed in Switzerland in July 2017.
Their meeting took place amid escalating tension over energy exploration rights.
Cypriot president Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci met at Nicosia’s UN compound in the buffer zone, where they had a “sincere and constructive exchange of views”.
They decided to continue engaging in the efforts undertaken by UN envoy Jane Holl Lute that “would enable structured and results-oriented negotiations leading to a settlement with a sense of urgency,” said the brief statement.
This marks little progress since their last informal meeting in February with no mention of the dispute over energy wealth.
Turkey and Cyprus stepped up gas exploration and drilling efforts in late 2018, while Ankara and Nicosia have been at odds over Turkish Cypriots’ share in gas revenues and Turkey’s territorial claims that overlap with Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The two leaders simply reaffirmed their commitment to “improving the daily lives of all Cypriots and to implementing further confidence-building measures, with UN support”.
Ankara’s deployment of two ships — the Fatih and Yavuz — to search for oil and gas in waters designated as a Republic of Cyprus maritime zone has sparked a dispute which has seen the EU impose sanctions against Turkey.
The offshore area where the vessels have been dispatched is part of what the international community recognises as the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Republic of Cyprus, which has invited energy giants like ExxonMobil, Italy’s Eni and France’s Total to drill for hydrocarbons.
Turkey opposes any offshore exploration which excludes the Turkish Cypriot part of the island led by Akinci.
Turkey says its actions abide by international law and that it is drilling inside its continental shelf. But its decision to press on with drilling in the EEZ has also sparked criticism from Egypt, Israel and the United States.
Akinci proposed to resolve the dispute by creating a committee to share hydrocarbon revenues, this was rejected by the Greek Cypriots.
The European Union last month agreed on measures to punish Turkey for pursuing drilling operations off Cyprus despite repeated warnings to withdraw.
There have been no official Cyprus negotiations between the two sides since talks collapsed in Switzerland.
The United Nations has made clear it will not fully engage in a new peace process unless Cypriot leaders are committed into entering negotiations in a spirit of compromise.
The last talks aimed at reunifying the island as a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation collapsed in Switzerland after the UN chief failed to get the parties to agree on a post-settlement security arrangement for Cyprus.
It was the first time Cyprus talks involved the guarantor powers of Britain, Greece and Turkey.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied its northern third in response to a coup sponsored by the military junta then ruling Greece.
Tensions in the region heightened after Nicosia stepped up its search for natural gas reserves, a move countered by Turkey.
The EU — of which Cyprus is a member state while Turkey is not — condemned Turkey’s actions in the eastern Mediterranean in trying to block oil and gas exploration in Cyprus’ maritime zone.
Greece, Israel and USA gave their full support to Cyprus’ sovereign right to exploit its energy resources, during the 1st Energy Ministerial Conference in Athens this week.
Greek Minister Energy, Kostis Hatzidakis hosted Cypriot counterpart Georgios Lakkotrypis, Israel’s Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz, and US Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources Francis R. Fannon.
Lakkotrypis expressed his satisfaction for their full backing to Nicosia against the Turkey’s illegal actions in Cyprus’ EEZ.
He added the creation of an Eastern Mediterranean gas corridor represents a common desire for all four parties, as it will provide a major energy alternative for the European Union.
Hatzidakis, welcomed the fact that the joint declaration of the Conference reflects solidarity for Greece and Cyprus’ positions on energy issues, as well as for the sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus.