Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman agreed Monday to open two new border crossings, coordinate emergency responses, and share archival materials. The agreement followed a joint meeting with United Nations special envoy Maria Angela Holguin in the UN-controlled buffer zone dividing the island.
The UN called the meeting "positive" and said the two leaders would meet again in coming weeks with outgoing UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres present. Christodoulides told reporters the sides aim to resume peace talks before the secretary-general's term ends this year.
The new crossings would bring the total to 11 across the divided Mediterranean island. Cyprus has been split since 1974, when Turkey invaded and seized the northern part following a Greek military coup. A previous power-sharing government collapsed in 1963. Only Turkey recognizes the northern part as independent; Ankara maintains more than 35,000 troops there.
Decades of negotiations have failed to reunify the island. The last official round of talks collapsed in 2017. Disputes centre on Turkish military involvement: Greek Cypriots oppose it; Turkish Cypriots say it is essential. Last year the north elected its first pro-unification leader since 2020.