28 Apr 2021; MEMO: The leaders of Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriots met in Geneva yesterday to find a common ground on the divided Mediterranean island with the support of the UN, four years after the last peace talks failed, Reuters reports.
According to the report, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he is being realistic about the prospect of progress during key talks on reunifying Cyprus and urged Greek and Turkish Cypriot parties to be creative in their approach.
Turkish Cypriots leader Ersin Tatar said he hoped his proposal for a two-state solution would bring a "new vision" to this week's discussions despite Greek Cypriots having already rejected the idea.
"I'm going there [Geneva] to put forth my new vision. My new vision is two sovereign states living side-by-side in a good, neighbourly relationship, to cooperate in any way, to promote welfare for all Cypriots," he also told Reuters in a Skype interview on Monday.
On the other hand, Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades said that the main goal of the new United Nations effort is to find common ground to continue the dialogue on the Cyprus issue.
Cyprus was split between a Greek Cypriot south and a Turkish Cypriot north in 1974.
Turkish Cypriot was recognised by Turkey.
As guarantor state, Turkey has also been invited to Geneva, along with Greece and Britain, the two other guarantors of the island's 1960 independence from London.
Last year, Turkey and Turkish Cypriots proposed a two-state model for the island that Greek Cypriots have said they would not accept because it would legitimise the country's partition.
