\n Rival Cypriot leaders met Monday to discuss opening more crossing points across the divided island, the United Nations said, as part of trust-building efforts to revive stalled peace talks.\n<\/p>\n
\n President Nikos Christodoulides of the Greek-speaking, internationally recognised Republic of Cyprus and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar met in the buffer zone that has split the Mediterranean island for decades.\n<\/p>\n
\n The meeting, mediated by UN Special Representative Colin Stewart, followed an October 15 informal dinner hosted by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres with both leaders in New York.\n<\/p>\n
\n Christodoulides said he submitted an eight-point package of proposals to Tatar, leader of the breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.\n<\/p>\n
\n \"I referred to crossing points as well as other ideas which we discussed in New York,\" Christodoulides told reporters, adding that the proposals also include the creation of a truth commission.\n<\/p>\n
\n \"These ideas received a positive response from the secretary-general, but there was no positive reaction from Mr Tatar,\" Christodoulides said.\n<\/p>\n
\n The United Nations said the two leaders agreed that opening new crossings could foster people-to-people contacts, strengthen economic ties, build trust and help to create a more positive climate for peace talks.\n<\/p>\n
\n The Mediterranean island is split between the Republic of Cyprus, an EU member, and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which is only recognised by Turkey and covers about a third of island including parts of the capital Nicosia.\n<\/p>\n
\n Turkey has kept troops on the island since its 1974 invasion, triggered by a Greek-backed coup.\n<\/p>\n
\n There are currently nine crossings along the UN-patrolled Green Line that separates the two sides.\n<\/p>\n
\n Calls have grown for more crossings along the 180-kilometre (110-mile) buffer zone to ease access for people in remote areas.\n<\/p>\n
\n Thousands cross daily for work, education, or medical care, using the nine crossings operational since 2003.\n<\/p>\n
\n Reunification efforts brokered by the United Nations have been frozen since talks collapsed in 2017.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Rival Cypriot leaders met Monday to discuss opening more crossing points across the divided island, the United Nations said, as part of trust-building efforts to revive stalled peace talks. President Nikos Christodoulides of the Greek-speaking, internationally recognised Republic of Cyprus and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar met in the buffer zone that has split the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":60,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[553],"tags":[],"ji_location":[],"class_list":["post-140472","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-live-feed"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n