New York, July 18, 2025 — A much-anticipated informal meeting on the Cyprus issue, held at the UN headquarters in New York, has ended without a breakthrough, with Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Ersin Tatar blaming Greek Cypriot intransigence for the failure to open new border crossings.
The talks, organized with the mediation of Turkey and the United Nations, brought together UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Republic of Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides, and TRNC leader Ersin Tatar.
According to the UN, the discussions focused more on building practical cooperation than direct political negotiations. Topics included environmental cooperation, energy projects, youth engagement, and demining efforts. Secretary-General Guterres described the talks as “constructive,” highlighting that four of six previously agreed confidence-building measures from the March 2024 Geneva meeting have already been implemented.
However, in an interview with Report, Tatar offered a far more critical assessment. “There was no consensus on one of the key agenda items — the opening of four new crossing points,” he said. “The Greek side insisted that the crossings be located only through the UN buffer zone, but we objected. Creating roadways through that zone could later be misinterpreted as recognition of Greek sovereignty over the area.”
Tatar added that the Turkish Cypriot side had offered to construct a 5 km stretch of road on their side to facilitate access without involving the buffer zone — a solution he described as safer and more neutral. “Unfortunately, the other side rejected it outright. As a result, no agreement was reached, and the new crossings could not be opened.”
Despite the stalemate, another informal meeting in the same format is expected to take place before the end of the year.
