Cyprus President Ready to Resume Reunification Talks: Urges Turkey to Engage

Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides announced his readiness to resume talks for the reunification of Cyprus at the United Nations General Assembly. Urging Turkey to engage, he emphasized the opportunity for peace and cooperation. Previous talks collapsed in 2017, and the dispute remains a critical regional issue.

Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides declared on Wednesday his immediate readiness to resume reunification negotiations over the ethnically divided island, urging Turkey to also involve in the effort. 'We cannot change geography. It is an opportunity, not a curse. Turkey and Cyprus will always remain neighbours,' he stated during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

'I adamantly believe we can carve a new path, one of peace, cooperation, and collaboration,' he added. Cyprus was divided decades ago following a Turkish invasion, subsequent to a brief Greek-inspired coup and preceding years of sporadic violence between Greek and Turkish Cypriots.

Reunification discussions hit a deadlock in mid-2017 and have stalled since. The Turkish Cypriot breakaway state in northern Cyprus, solely backed by Turkey, seeks a two-state solution recognizing its sovereignty. However, Greek Cypriots maintain that reunification must occur within a U.N. framework outlining a bizonal, bicommunal federation.

'I am committed and I am ready to sit at the negotiating table today. Not tomorrow. Today,' Christodoulides affirmed. Situated on the rim of the Middle East, the Cyprus issue has now been overshadowed by the volatile situation in the region.

Earlier this year, Cyprus served as a conduit for delivering essential humanitarian aid to Gaza, under siege by Israel, in an initiative backed by the United Arab Emirates, the U.S., and Israel. The island has also proposed assistance in evacuating civilians from the region if tensions further escalate. Despite the grim scenarios, Christodoulides rejected the linear narrative of a region in perpetual turmoil.

'I have experienced first-hand what countries in the region can achieve when they come together behind a common vision,' he remarked.

(With inputs from agencies.)