EU Relations With Turkey Improved Despite Lack Of Progress On Cyprus - Von Der Leyen

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 25th June, 2021) EU-Turkish relations have overall improved despite the lamentable lack of progress in resolving the Cyprus issue, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday.

"Overall, the relations with Turkey have improved recently. There is a de-escalation in the Eastern Mediterranean. There are talks between Turkey and Greece, and that's a good starting point. But, on the other hand, we still see little if no progress made on Cyprus, and this remains disappointing," von der Leyen told a press conference after a meeting of EU leaders.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey sent its forces there purportedly to protect the island's Turkish population.

In 1983, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus declared its independence, without being recognized by anyone except the Turkish government. Since then, efforts to unify the island have been ongoing, but not without occasional lapses, the last one being the failed 2017 Crans-Montana negotiations, after which the negotiations ceased altogether.

In April, the the United Nations mediated an informal 5+1 meeting on Cyprus. UN chief Antonio Guterres said that the participants had failed to reach an agreement and would reconvene again probably in two or three months.