Analysts have expressed fears that in event of failure Turkey could move to annex the north, where it continues to station more than 40,000 troops since invading in response to an Athens-inspired coup aimed at uniting the island with Greece. Direct talks take place today in Geneva between Cypriot President Nikos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akıncı in what have been called “the best and last chance” to achieve a settlement of the decades long conflict which has divided the island nation. “It will be the first time since 1974 that Turkey and the Greek Cypriots will hold direct talks at the negotiating table.”

A week of fierce horse-trading lies ahead before Greece, Turkey and former colonial power Britain – the island’s three guarantors under its post-independence constitution – convene on 12 January to address the issues of troop presence and security in an envisioned federation. In statements made after the British prime minister, Theresa May, spoke by telephone to her Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Downing Street said both leaders saw the talks as offering “a real opportunity to secure a better future for Cyprus and to guarantee stability in the wider region”. In 2004, a UN-drafted peace blueprint was approved by Turkish Cypriots but resoundingly rejected by Greek Cypriots in simultaneous referendums.
Greek and Turkish local leaders of Cyprus resume talks to end the division of the island before a high level multilateral conference takes place in Geneva this week in the latest effort to reunify the island.