The Greek and Turkish leaders of Cyprus have reached an agreement in Nicosia to open two new border crossings. This agreement is part of UN-backed efforts to resume peace talks after nearly a decade of stalemate. With this agreement, the number of open crossings on the divided island has reached eleven.
New agreements and cooperation
The two sides also discussed coordination in response to emergencies and sharing archival materials. This agreement comes as the two sides have disagreed on the principles of negotiations since their meeting with Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, last summer. However, the UN stated in a statement that Monday's meeting was "positive" and that the two leaders would talk again in the presence of Guterres in the coming weeks.
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History and challenges
The island of Cyprus has been divided since 1974 following a Turkish invasion after a brief coup orchestrated by the Greek military regime. Power-sharing between Greek and Turkish Cypriots collapsed in 1963, and a UN force, now one of the oldest peacekeeping operations in the world, monitors a 180-kilometer (112-mile) ceasefire line between the two sides.
One reason for the failure of previous negotiations has been disagreements over Turkey's role in the future. Greek Cypriots oppose direct Ankara intervention, while Turkish Cypriots believe such intervention is necessary. Meetings and negotiations regarding the possibility of opening other crossing points are also on the agenda.
After the recent meeting, Christodoulides told reporters: "We will continue this effort with full seriousness and a single goal: to resume negotiations before the end of the Secretary-General's term at the end of the year." These remarks reflect the strong determination of both sides to make progress in the peace process.
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