Uncertainty Looms Over U.N. Plans for Cyprus Peace Talks

Initial U.N. plans to hold peace talks between Cyprus's divided communities next week are uncertain as the Turkish Cypriot side reported no invitation received. The U.N. seeks to resume long-stalled negotiations between Greek and Turkish Cypriots. Confusion arose over conflicting statements from leaders, complicating the situation further.

Initial plans by the U.N. to convene leaders of Cyprus's divided communities for peace talks as early as next week are now shrouded in uncertainty. The Turkish Cypriot side claimed it had not received an invitation and indicated that it wouldn't participate in the talks regardless.

The United Nations has been working to find common ground for the resumption of stalled negotiations between the rival Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities, a conflict that spans decades and contributes to tensions between Greece and Turkey. Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides had mentioned he had been approached for a meeting with his Turkish Cypriot counterpart, Ersin Tatar, along with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on August 13. However, Tatar denied receiving any such invitation and stated that under current conditions, a tripartite meeting wasn't viable.

On Monday, a U.N. spokesperson in New York confirmed that no invitations had gone out yet, despite earlier intentions to bring both sides together. Cyprus remains divided since a Turkish invasion in 1974, following a brief Greek-inspired coup. The Turkish Cypriot side now insists that any future negotiations recognize its equal sovereignty with the internationally recognized Greek Cypriot government.

(With inputs from agencies.)