Rival Cyprus leaders agree to meet weekly after UN chief’s visit

Following meetings with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, leaders from Cyprus' divided north and south have agreed to hold weekly talks to advance the long-stalled reunification process, according to a UN statement released after their Wednesday session. Guterres, who visited the island in July, personally urged the two sides to step up preparations for the negotiations.

The first in-person meeting between President Nikos Christodoulides and pro-unification leader Tufan Erhurman since Guterres's visit marked a crucial step in laying the groundwork for a UN-led peace push. The leaders agreed to intensify their meetings, with the frequency increasing as necessary. Guterres had previously called for new talks to end the half-century-long Cyprus conflict, involving the island's leaders and the three guarantor powers: Greece, Turkey, and Britain.

However, he emphasized the importance of adequate preparation to build confidence and did not provide a specific date for the proposed summit. Cyprus has been split since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied the northern third following a Greek Cypriot coup seeking unification with Greece. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) declared independence in 1983, recognized only by Ankara, while the EU member Republic of Cyprus in the south administers the south.