In a significant development for divided Cyprus, Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar have agreed to collaborate on several key issues for the first time in years.
The agreement, announced after their meeting in Nicosia on April 2, includes cooperation on demining landmines and joint initiatives focused on environmental protection and climate change.
The leaders outlined plans to remove landmines between their separated communities and set up a technical committee to address youth-related concerns, marking a positive step in confidence-building between the two sides.
Both communities also discussed increasing civilian crossing points and exploring the possibility of building a solar power plant in the UN-controlled buffer zone.
Christodoulides and Tatar had previously held informal talks in Geneva two weeks ago, after which UN Secretary-General António Guterres noted that the meeting had produced progress for the first time in many years.
Despite these hopeful steps, significant differences remain. Greek Cypriots continue to advocate for a federal model for reunification, in line with UN resolutions, while Turkish Cypriots, backed by Turkey, favor a two-state solution, citing the failure of past negotiations.
Cyprus has been divided since the Turkish invasion of 1974, a result of a brief coup orchestrated by Greece. The ongoing division remains a source of tension between NATO allies Greece and Turkey, with reunification talks stalling since their collapse in 2017.
