Cypriots look to UN chief to lead them to reunification

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres is heading back to Switzerland on Thursday to give Cypriots a final shove toward the reunification of their long-divided island.

When Guterres left the Greek and Turkish Cypriot negotiators and Cyprus’ guarantor countries on a Swiss mountaintop last Saturday to negotiate the last and most sensitive issues of the peace deal, he urged them: Show me the flexibility needed to reach a compromise, and I’ll come back, according to diplomats who have been following the talks from different sides.

After a few rough days in which the sides mostly clung to long-standing positions, they started to make small steps on Tuesday, giving Guterres enough reason to return to Crans-Montana — in the hope of being able to announce some kind of success.

“It’s time to give and take, and this is the job of Guterres,” said one diplomatic source close to the negotiations.

In a sign that they are nearing an agreement, the U.N. chief could be joined by prime ministers. The Cypriot newspaper Politis reported that Turkey’s Binali Yıldırım and Britain’s Theresa May are going, and that Greece’s Alexis Tsipras is expected. However, May’s spokesman said there were “no current plans” to attend. EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini set off on Wednesday, a spokesperson confirmed.

In a sign that they are nearing an agreement, the U.N. chief could be joined by prime ministers.

The Switzerland conference between Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades, his Turkish Cypriot counterpart Mustafa Akıncı, and Greece, Turkey and the U.K. started a week ago, with the aim of at least making a breakthrough that can lead to a reunification agreement and referendum in Cyprus in the coming months. The U.N. is mediating the talks and the EU is there to show support.

The call for Guterres’ return is a somewhat ironic ending to a negotiation billed as being entirely led by Anastasiades and Akıncı, in a deliberate attempt to shake off association with the failed 2004 reunification plan named after then U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Guterres presented a framework for compromise on the outstanding issues last week and told the negotiators to put their positions on paper and start looking for convergence. The framework provides a roadmap to a settlement, but neither side was fully willing to trade its last chips without the U.N. chief there.

“If the U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres does not return to Crans-Montana as soon as possible and make the necessary interventions, unfortunately, the talks may not end with a positive conclusion,” four Turkish Cypriot political parties said in a statement on Tuesday.

Guterres, a former Portuguese prime minister and diplomat, appears to have a better understanding of the Cypriot division and the Mediterranean politics surrounding it — and therefore commands more respect in the negotiations — than his South Korean predecessor Ban Ki-moon. Just six months into his term, Guterres has been more successful in pressuring all sides to step up and show leadership.

“He’s the headmaster in the room. He’s the man amongst the boys,” said a second diplomat close to the negotiations. “The room went quiet when he spoke … He brings a lot more weight and respect to the process.”

Guterres already strong-armed Anastasiades and Akıncı into returning to Switzerland, after deadlocking over the procedure for the talks and domestic disagreements. When he visited Crans-Montana, he stressed the hard work ahead for the negotiators, while highlighting the public pressure in favor of a solution.

“I firmly believe that through determination and political will, it will be possible to clear this final hurdle and reach a comprehensive settlement,” he told reporters last Friday. “At the same time, there is no doubt that some sensitive and difficult issues remain to be resolved.”

Cyprus has been divided by a U.N.-enforced buffer zone since 1974. The reunification deal hinges on issues such as replacing the foreign security guarantees, withdrawing some 40,000 Turkish troops, and sharing power between the two communities.

Charlie Cooper contributed reporting.