The U.N. secretary-general on Monday said peace in Cyprus was “within reach” as the island’s leaders met in Switzerland for negotiations.
In a statement, Ban Ki-moon said Nicos Anastasiades, the Greek Cypriot president, and Mustafa Akıncı, the Turkish Cypriot chief, had reached “a critical juncture” in their talks.
“I encourage them to make the most of the moment and the momentum. It will be crucial as they tackle the outstanding issues across chapters, during this week in Switzerland and beyond,” the U.N. chief said. “Expectations in both communities are high.”
Cyprus has been divided by a U.N.-enforced no-go zone since Turkey invaded in 1974, after Greek Cypriots carried out a military coup d’état aimed at unifying with Greece.
Anastasiades and Akıncı have been locked in intense talks for 18 months, meeting every week for the past few months. The aim is to reach a settlement for peace this year. Both sides would then schedule separate but simultaneous referendums early 2017.