Low expectations as UN tries to kickstart Cyprus peace talks

Greek, left, and Cyprus' flags, second left, flutter on poles in the south, as in the north Turkish occupied area, a Turkish & Turkish Cypriot breakaway flags fly on a minaret - Copyright Credit: AP

By Euronews

Published on 27/04/2021 - 19:41

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It's the first attempt to restart talks since a push for a peace deal collapsed in 2017.

The United Nations is hosting what's expected to be three days of informal talks in Geneva on the future of the divided Mediterranean island of Cyprus.

Foreign ministers from Greece, Turkey and Britain, will join delegations from the Greek and Turkish-Cypriot communities.

It's the first attempt to restart talks since a push for a peace deal collapsed in 2017. The island has been split for nearly five decades. UN chief Antonio Guterres says the aim is to try and find a lasting solution.

But he admits he is "``realistic'' about the chances of resuming formal talks to reunify ethnically split Cyprus. Ahead of the summit, expectations were low that a fresh bid to reinvigorate dormant negotiations will lead to a breakthrough.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric had previously urged Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities to bring "``creativity'' to the informal talks.

But the mood is dour as the two sides no longer seem to share the same vision of how a final peace deal should take shape.

**Watch correspondent Efi Koutsokosta's analysis in the video player, above. **

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