Reunification talks on Cyprus take an international turn: the foreign ministers of the island's guarantors join the UN's Secretary-General in Geneva.
Antonio Guterres is embarking on his first major challenge. The UN’s newly-appointed Secretary-General is chairing a conference on Cyprus after three days of reunification talks.
The foreign ministers of the island’s so-called guarantors – Turkey, Greece and former colonial power Britain – have joined him and Cyprus’s Greek and Turkish leaders in Geneva to discuss the pivotal issue of post-unification security arrangements.
EU officials are also in attendance.
In Geneva to offer UK support to #Cyprus settlement talks. I encourage all sides to approach with flexibility & creativity to find solution
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) January 12, 2017
Specifically, they are tackling a 1960 treaty, which allows intervention in Cyprus. Some 30,000 Turkish soldiers are stationed in the north of the island. Athens and the Greek Cypriots are calling for the removal of the troops. Ankara and the Turkish Cypriot delegation are pushing for them to stay.
NOW: @MustafaAkinci_1 and @AnastasiadesCY continue the #CyprusTalks@UNGeneva under the auspices of @EspenBarthEidepic.twitter.com/OsNHrDqn4n
— UN Cyprus (@UN_CYPRUS) January 11, 2017