Photo via AP
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On Thursday, November 20, Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman met to discuss reviving stalled U.N. negotiations regarding the reunification of the island under a single government.
The auspicious meeting comes after Erhürman’s landslide victory in October’s presidential election. Erhürman, a moderate, defeated incumbent right-wing president Ersin Tatar by campaigning on a federalist solution and reintegration with the international community, deemphasizing Turkish reliance and nationalism.
The Cyprus Problem
The island of Cyprus is currently split between the internationally recognized Greek Cypriot Republic of Cyprus (RoC) and the Tükiye-backed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Cyprus gained independence from Britain in 1960. A shaky powersharing agreement designed to balance the Greek and Turkish communities quickly broke down. Three years into independence, violence erupted; Turkish communities retreated into enclaves, and United Nations Peacekeepers were deployed to the island.
Tensions reached a breaking point in 1974 when Greek Cypriot forces (subscribing to the Hellenic irredentist ideology of enosis), sponsored by the Greek military junta, launched a coup d’état, installing nationalist Nikos Sampson as President. The takeover triggered a Turkish military intervention, dividing the island along the current UN-managed Demilitarized Zone known as the Green Line.
The RoC currently controls the southern portion of the island and has been a member of the European Union since 2004. The TRNC maintains support from Ankara. The city of Nicosia, divided by the Green Line, serves as the capital of both countries. Decades of peace negotiations have failed to result in a long-term solution. Most recently, the UN-organized 2017 Crans-Montana peace talks broke down.
Recent Developments
Tufan Erhürman represents a sharp departure from previous Turkish Cypriot leadership. His policy platform does not advocate a strict two-state solution to the current conflict; instead, Erhürman subscribes to a bizonal, bicommunal federation model akin to the current political structure in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He is more open to regular, cooperative communication with the RoC, focusing on resolving everyday issues for Cypriots alongside final-status problems.
The most recent encounter between Erhürman and Christodoulides symbolizes this shift in thinking. The Turkish Cypriot delegation presented a 10-point plan emphasizing mutual trust-building and cooperation as a prerequisite for further integration between the states. Greek Cypriot officials have yet to issue an official response to the proposal; however, Christodoulides issued a press release expressing confidence in the talks’ efficacy and indicated that the RoC is willing to resume previous negotiations under the more cooperative present conditions.
Future Outlook
The key matter separating previous diplomatic failures from the current moment is the change in political tone. Erhürman’s election signals a shift in Turkish Cypriot leadership away from the Ankara-dominated two-state approach towards a more integrationist, EU-aligned federalist policy, potentially reducing many of the points of friction that stalled the 2017 talks. Regardless, many barriers to peace remain: the Turkish military presence in the north persists, with over 35,000 troops on the island; recent media squabbles between the leadership place the previous deal on somewhat shakier ground; and longstanding biases between Greek and Turkish Cypriots persist.
In the coming months, the UN envoy assigned to the Cyprus problem will mediate ongoing dialogue between the RoC and the TRNC to determine whether formal negotiations can resume. Neither side expects an immediate breakthrough in talks; however, that fact may be what secures a brighter outlook on this current round. With a focus on short-term, practical benefits for the everyday Cypriot, alongside newly elected leaders seemingly poised to curtail foreign influence, the current outlook on the Cyprus problem is cautiously hopeful. Talks will continue over the coming weeks, with experts expecting a clearer picture of the current situation in due time.
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This article was edited by Madison Boyd.
Eloisa Harper 
Andrea Lizeth Dominguez 
Sophia Kiosses