Northern Cyprus’ president, UN official hold talks

By Mehmet Kemal Firik

LEFKOSA, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (AA) – The president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and a UN official held talks on Thursday, local media reported.

TRNC President Ersin Tatar received UN Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and Americas Miroslav Jenca at the presidential office in Lefkosa, according to Turkish News Agency-Cyprus (TAK).

Evaluating the meeting, Jenca said they had a “clear and sincere” meeting with Tatar.

Reiterating their commitment to continue the dialogue, he said the perspective of a solution will be for the benefit and welfare of the people on Cyprus Island.

Colin Stewart, the head of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), and Ergun Olgun, the Turkish Cypriot president’s special representative, also attended the meeting which lasted about an hour.

On Wednesday, Jenca also met with Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades.

- Decades-long dispute

Cyprus has been mired in a decades-long dispute between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, despite a series of diplomatic efforts by the UN to achieve a comprehensive settlement.

Ethnic attacks starting in the early 1960s forced Turkish Cypriots to withdraw into enclaves for their safety.

In 1974, a Greek Cypriot coup aimed at Greece's annexation led to Türkiye's military intervention as a guarantor power to protect Turkish Cypriots from persecution and violence. As a result, the TRNC was founded in 1983.

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

The Greek Cypriot administration entered the EU in 2004, the same year Greek Cypriots thwarted the UN's Annan plan to end the longstanding dispute.

* Writing by Gozde Bayar