Cyprus rivals agree to open two new crossings across dividing line

The Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders of the divided island of Cyprus have agreed to open two new border crossings. As part of a United Nations-backed effort to resume peace talks, they also agreed to coordinate emergency responses and share archival materials.

On Monday, Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman jointly met United Nations special envoy Maria Angela Holguin in the UN-controlled buffer zone that splits the island.

The agreement is seen as the first concrete sign of detente between the rivals after nearly a decade of deadlock.

The United Nations described Monday's meeting as ‘positive’. The organisation said the two leaders would talk again in the coming weeks in the presence of outgoing UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

After the meeting, Christodoulides told reporters, ‘We are continuing this effort with absolute seriousness and one single goal: resuming the talks before the end of the secretary-general's term.’ Guterres's term ends at the end of this year.

Guterres began a new drive in the summer to try to resolve the conflict that has lasted for more than five decades. He suggested that new crossings could build trust and confidence. However, the two sides have since been disagreeing over the ground rules for talks.

The move would bring the number of open crossings on the divided Mediterranean island to 11.

Cyprus was split in 1974, when Turkiye invaded and seized the northern part after a coup instigated by the then-military government in Greece.

A previous power-sharing administration of Greek and Turkish Cypriots had fallen apart in 1963, and a UN Peacekeeping Force has monitored a 180km (112-mile) ceasefire line which splits the two sides since then.

Only Turkiye recognises the northern part of the island as an independent republic. Ankara maintains more than 35,000 troops on Cyprus.

Decades of talks have repeatedly failed to reunify Cyprus, with the last official round collapsing in 2017. Greek Cypriots are against Ankara having any hands-on involvement; Turkish Cypriots say it is essential.

Last year, the north elected its first pro-unification leader since 2020, generating renewed hope.