Greek Foreign Minister, George Gerapetritis, and his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, assessed the informal meeting on Cyprus in a broader format that took place in Geneva on March 17-18 and the implementation of what has been agreed, Greek diplomatic sources have said.
In addition, the two Foreign Ministers focused on international and regional developments, with emphasis on Ukraine, the Middle East, including Syria.
Furthermore, Gerapetritis and Fidan discussed about the two countries’ next High Cooperation Council, which will be held in April.
Finally, Greek diplomatic sources said that the two Ministers discussed about their next meeting, which will take place during the NATO Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on April 3-4.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, announced, on Tuesday, after the conclusion of the informal meeting on Cyprus in a broader format, his decision to appoint a new personal envoy on Cyprus to prepare the next steps, while also announcing a new informal meeting on Cyprus in a broader format at the end of July.
He also announced that the two leaders, President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, have agreed a group of initiatives to build trust and specifically, the opening four crossing points, demining, the creation of a Technical Committee on Youth, initiatives on the environment and climate change including the impact on mining areas, solar energy in the buffer zone and restoration of cemeteries.
Also read: Turkish MFA on the Cyprus issue: The steps agreed in Geneva
Source: CNA
