Cyprus talks end in ‘yelling and drama’

TALKS to end the 43-year-old political deadlock on Cyprus broke down acrimoniously yesterday, as Turkish and Greek Cypriot negotiators failed to reach compromises over the security of the island.

The collapse of Un-brokered negotiations in the Swiss resort of Cransmontana brought to heel Europe’s largest diplomatic sore.

“I’m very sorry to tell you that despite the very strong commitment and engagement of all the delegations and different parties … the conference on Cyprus was closed without an agreement being reached,” announced a clearly crestfallen António Guterres, the UN Secretary-general.

The talks were said by diplomatic sources to have ended in “yelling and drama”. The failure came despite highlevel backing from both the UN chief and Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, as well as the Greek and Turkish governments.

Cyprus has been partitioned by a UN demilitarised zone since 1974 following the Turkish invasion that left 30,000 Turkish troops on the island – which the Greeks had demanded be removed before they would sign a deal.

Britain, the former colonial power in Cyprus and a guarantor nation under a convoluted treaty which granted the island independence in 1960, said it was “enormously disappointed”.

“Now is a time for calm reflection and consideration of next steps. Our commitment to a deal remains unwavering,” a British government spokesman said.