Greece’s foreign minister says it is important to maintain dialogue following informal Cyprus talks in Geneva

ATHENS

Greece’s foreign minister said Tuesday that it is important to maintain dialogue following an informal meeting on Cyprus held in Geneva.

“The discussions focused on issues included in the confidence building measures between the parties, such as demining, environmental protection, youth, and the restoration of cemeteries,” said George Gerapetritis, speaking to the press following the talks.

He said the appointment of a personal envoy on behalf of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to oversee the next steps of the discussions was also decided during the talks.

Informal meetings will continue both bilaterally and in the broad format, said Gerapetritis, adding the next round of talks is expected to take place in July.

“We understand that despite the fact that the position of the Turkish Cypriot side deviates from the framework set by the UN Security Council resolutions, it is extremely important to maintain dialogue in order to build trust,” he added.

The Cyprus dispute has persisted for decades, with the island divided since 1974 following a Greek-backed coup and Türkiye's subsequent military intervention. As a result, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) was established in 1983.

There has been an on-and-off peace process in recent years, including a failed 2017 initiative in Crans-Montana, Switzerland under the auspices of guarantor countries Türkiye, Greece and the UK.

The Greek Cypriot administration joined the European Union in 2004 – the same year that Greek Cypriots rejected a UN plan to resolve the dispute in a referendum.

In the most recent attempt to break the deadlock, a three-day meeting was held in Geneva in 2021. However, Guterres concluded that there was still not enough common ground to resume formal negotiations.