UN Chief Says Cyprus Division Must End to Bring Stability to Tense Region

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has said ending Cyprus' decades long ethnic division is vital not only for the island but also for peace in the increasingly tense Eastern Mediterranean.

Speaking after a two day visit to Cyprus, Guterres said a settlement would help the people of Cyprus and bring stability to a region facing growing security risks. His visit was the first by a sitting UN chief in more than 16 years and was aimed at restarting peace talks that have been stalled since they collapsed in Switzerland in 2017. He said only Cypriots can build peace, while the UN can support and guide the process.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkiye invaded after a Greece backed coup. A UN controlled buffer zone separates the Turkish Cypriot north from the Greek Cypriot south. The north declared independence in 1983, but only Turkiye recognises it and keeps more than 35,000 troops there.

Guterres met President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman. He said he plans to call a 5 plus 1 meeting involving the two leaders, Greece, Turkiye, Britain and the UN, but only after enough progress is made on confidence building measures, the talks process and key issues. He said there are no guarantees of success.

Cyprus has become strategically important because of its location near Lebanon and Israel. It has strengthened energy and defence ties with Israel, but regional tensions have also reached the island. Last year, a drone believed to have come from Lebanon hit a British air base in Cyprus.

The UN supports a federal settlement, while Turkiye backs a two state solution. Greek Cypriots reject permanent Turkish troops and formal partition, while Turkish Cypriots insist on equal political rights in any future agreement.