Cyprus' ethnic split must be resolved to stabilize a tumultuous region, UN chief says

NICOSIA, Cyprus -- Resolving Cyprus’ ethnic division is “absolutely crucial” for stabilizing a turbulent region where persistent conflicts have the potential to escalate, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said Wednesday.

Guterres made a rare, two-day visit to Cyprus to underline his commitment to restarting deadlocked peace talks on a deal to end the 52-year-old rift in which a U.N.- controlled buffer zone separates breakaway Turkish Cypriots in the island's northern third and Greek Cypriots in the south.

“I do believe that a solution in Cyprus is absolutely crucial, not only to preserve the interests and the peace of the Cyprus people, but also as a factor of stability in what is becoming a dangerously unstable region,” Guterres told a news conference after meeting with the island's rival leaders.

Cyprus was split in 1974 when Turkey invaded in the wake of an Athens junta-backed coup whose supporters sought union with Greece. Turkish Cypriots declared independence nearly a decade later, but only Turkey recognizes it and keeps more than 35,000 troops in the north. Although Cyprus joined the European Union in 2004, only the south where the internationally recognized government is seated enjoys full benefits.

Cyprus lies 207 kilometers (129 miles) from Lebanon and about 340 kilometers (211 miles) from Israel. The island nation has in recent years leveraged its geographical proximity to the Middle East to act as the EU’s gateway to the region and has forged closer ties with many countries, particularly with Israel on energy and defense.

But that proximity worked to Cyprus’ detriment last March when a Shaheed drone that officials said was launched from Lebanon struck an aircraft hangar at a British air base on the island’s southern coast.

Cyprus is also a nexus point for heightened tensions between Turkey and Israel, which eyes Turkish military installations on Cyprus with suspicion.

Earlier this month, Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz warned the Cypriot government against using its EU membership and closer ties to Israel to extract concessions from Ankara.

Guterres, whose term as U.N. chief expires at the end of the year, said he’s prepared to call a meeting of the 5-plus-1 group — the Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman, the island’s Greek Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, the foreign ministers of Greece, Turkey and Britain, plus the U.N. secretary-general — in hopes of resuming full-fledged peace talks .

But Guterres said more preparations are needed to ensure the meeting's success.

There are no guarantees of a successful outcome. Despite a U.N.-endorsed framework envisioning a federated Cyprus composed of Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot zones, Turkey insists on a two-state arrangement where breakaway Turkish Cypriots would be granted international recognition.

Turkish Cypriots accuse the majority Greek Cypriots of not wanting to equally share power on all government levels. Greek Cypriots won’t accept a two-state deal because it would formally partition the island. They also reject demands for a permanent Turkish military presence on the island and intervention rights for Ankara, which they consider an existential threat.