Cypriot leaders to meet Sunday in island's buffer zone

By Murat Demirci

LEFKOSA, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (AA) - Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot leaders will meet on Sunday for the first time since the latter left the negotiation table on Feb.16, according to a statement from the UN's Good Office in Cyprus on Monday.

The meeting at the UN-mandated buffer zone in the divided island will be hosted by United Nations special envoy for Cyprus, Espen Barth Eide, the statement said.

Mustafa Akinci and Nikos Anastasiades have been involved in UN-led talks to create a federal two-part state since May 2015. Last month, a decision by the Greek Cypriot assembly to introduce a school commemoration of a 1950 referendum on unification with Greece saw the discussions stall.

That vote has destroyed current negotiations over the island and has led to increased tension between the sides, according to Northern Cyprus.

On March 10, Turkish Cypriot President Mustafa Akinci said restarting the reunification talks could be possible “if the Greek side shows Turkish Cypriots that they can correct their Enosis mistake”.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when a Greek coup was followed by violence against the island’s Turkish population and Turkey’s intervention to protect them.