Mustafa Akıncı, the Turkish Cypriot leader, has asked the U.N. secretary general to step in to help settle the latest roadblock in reunification talks, AP reported Thursday.
Akıncı opposes a recent law that makes commemorating a 1950 vote to join with Greece compulsory in schools and has called on U.N. head António Guterres to force the Greek Cypriots to rescind the law, which he says “sows the seeds of division” among young people.
While some Greek Cypriot party leaders questioned the necessity of the new law since the vote â in which more than 95 percent of Greek Cypriots voted in favor of a union with Greece â is already discussed in schools, most view the Turkish representation of the law as distorted, AP reported.
Last month, the focus of the negotiations shifted to the delicate question of how to make sure the islandâs Greek and Turkish communities feel secure when the U.N. buffer zone between them comes down.
There is a still “a long way to go” to set up a security structure that addresses the concerns of both Greek and Turkish Cypriots, as well as Greece, Turkey and Britain â countries to which the island’s constitution grants intervention rights as “guarantors” of the young republic’s security, U.N. envoy Espen Barth Eide told AP.
Turkish Cypriots, who are in the minority on the island, want to keep Turkish troops and intervention rights, something Greek Cypriots reject.
The Eurasia Group on Wednesday lowered the likelihood of a reunification deal this year to 35 percent from 55 percent, citing Turkey’s “unwillingness to compromise on security issues” as well as deteriorating relations between the two Cypriot leaders.
Top officials are set to meet in Geneva next month to address security concerns.