WASHINGTON – Seizing a chance during a NATO meeting in Washington, D.C., Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, speaking to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said that during their rapprochement that reuniting divided Cyprus should be a priority.

Mitsotakis reportedly said that reunification talks should resume although Erdogan and Turkish-Cypriot hardline leader Ersin Tatar have rejected that, instead demanding the United Nations recognize a self-declared republic on the occupied northern third that was seized in two unlawful Turkish invasions in 1974, the 50th anniversary approaching.

Mitsotakis said that 50 years of division on Cyprus should end and that the island – the Greek-Cypriot side is a member of the European Union that Turkey has been trying to join since 2005 – should be reunited.

The last round of negotiations collapsed in July, 2017 – seven years go – at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana when the then Turkish-Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci said a 35,000-strong Turkish army on the occupied side would never leave and he and Erdogan wanting the right of further military intervention.

The two talked for 40 minutes on the sidelines of the meeting, and Greece’s state broadcaster ERT said that Mitsotakis also told Erdogan he was satisfied with Turkey’s efforts to keep refugees and migrants from coming to Greece.

https://www.tovima.com/politics/mitsotakis-erdogan-greek-pm-calls-for-restart-of-cyprus-talks/

The report said they also talked about increasing trade and would schedule a meeting between top officials of both countries although so-called Confidence Building Measures had already resumed again after long failing.

Turkey’s state Anadolu news agency said Erdogan told reporters at a briefing with Mitsotakis present that, “It is very natural for two neighbors to have differences of opinion. What matters is the will to resolve them. We want to turn the Aegean into a sea of peace and cooperation.”.

“We aspire to set an example for the whole world with the joint steps we take as Turkey and Greece. Let me be frank here: There is no problem that cannot be solved between us as long as we act with good will, focus on the big picture, and do not stumble over molehills,” he said, the news agency reported.