Cyprus Leaders Fail To Reach Agreement On Opening Crossing Points

A United Nations peacekeeper stands guards as leader of the breakaway Turkish Cypriots Ersin Tatar stands in the background, while waiting for Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides to arrive for a m

A meeting between the two leaders in ethnically divided Cyprus concluded without an agreement on Monday. The leaders failed to reach a decision on a deal aimed at building trust, which included opening new crossing points across a U.N.-controlled buffer zone.

The Greek Cypriot president and the leader of the breakaway Turkish Cypriots stated in a joint statement that they have instructed their representatives to continue talks and plan to meet again in the near future.

The leaders met for nearly two hours to discuss opening new crossing points at specific locations along a 180-kilometer U.N.-controlled buffer zone on the island. However, they left the meeting without announcing any new crossing point openings. Both leaders emphasized the importance of opening new crossing points to enhance people-to-people contacts, strengthen economic ties, and build trust.

The disagreement seems to revolve around the location of the crossing points, which are seen as mutually beneficial. The Greek Cypriot president mentioned that the Turkish Cypriot leader rejected a specific crossing point location and was not prepared to agree on a package of eight trust-building initiatives, including the establishment of joint committees on youth affairs and a Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

The meeting aimed to enhance people-to-people contacts and strengthen economic ties.

Leaders in Cyprus met but did not reach an agreement on new crossing points.

Disagreement centered on the location of new crossing points.

Turkish Cypriot leader rejected a specific crossing point location.

Both sides desire more crossing points to ease commutes across the buffer zone.

Potential agreement would have supported U.N. efforts to resume formal talks.

Turkey and Turkish Cypriots push for a two-state solution, opposed by Greek Cypriots.

United Nations plans to host leaders in Switzerland to explore restarting negotiations.

Current crossing points allow daily crossings for various purposes.

Greek Cypriots reject Turkey's demands for a permanent military presence on the island.

Currently, there are eight crossing points along the buffer zone, allowing people from both sides to cross daily for various purposes. However, there is a desire on both sides to see more crossing points opened to facilitate easier and quicker commutes across the dividing line established in 1974.

A potential crossing point agreement would have supported U.N. efforts to resume formal talks on resolving the island's ethnic division after a seven-year pause. The United Nations plans to host the leaders of both sides, along with officials from Greece, Turkey, and the United Kingdom, in Switzerland in March to explore ways to restart negotiations.

However, hopes for a peace deal have been dampened by Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots' insistence on abandoning a U.N.-backed plan for a federated reunification of Cyprus and pushing for a two-state solution instead. Greek Cypriots oppose any formal partition of the island and reject Turkey's demands for a permanent military presence and intervention rights on the island.