Vice President Joe Biden has tried to deliver a message this weekend to the two main sides on the divided island nation of Cyprus: Please chill out and start talking again.
The VP, who is travelling with his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, in Turkey, Ukraine and Morocco, spoke on Sunday with Cyprus’ president about the situation between his country and the breakaway Turkish-Cypriot area on the northern end of the island. And on Saturday, Biden met with Turkey’s two top leaders, discussing the situation with them as well.
“The Vice President noted the need to deescalate tensions in order to get back to a more constructive track in [United Nations]-mediated settlement talks on Cyprus and reinvigorate efforts to seek mutually beneficial solutions,” the State Department said in a description of Biden’s talk with Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades.
Tensions between Cyprus and Turkey have flared up in recent months — in one incident, Cyprus accused a Turkish research ship of sailing into Cypriot waters that were marked for possible oil exploration, Reuters reported.
Now, the U.S. is trying to get both sides back to the table.
“Our administration and the United States remains committed to supporting the U.N.-led effort to renew the island as a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation,” Biden said at a joint press conference Saturday in Istanbul with Turkish President Recep Erdogan.
“Today, the potential exists — if the political will is there — to reach a solution that benefits everyone on the island and in the region,” Biden said. “Right now that requires a focus on de-escalating tensions and returning to the negotiating table in Cyprus. Given the significant energy potential in the Eastern Mediterranean, the rewards to both communities on Cyprus of finding a cooperative path forward has never been greater.”
The need to get the two sides talking again comes at a time when the U.S. particularly needs Turkey as an ally: Turkey borders both Iraq and Syria, two countries in turmoil, and the U.S. needs Turkey’s help to combat the terrorist group calling itself the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.
Cyprus was in the news again this weekend after more than 200 Syrian refugees were rescued off its coast after their ship broke down, Reuters said.
This is the 50th year the U.N. has had a peacekeeping force on Cyprus.
Forty years have passed since the country saw a Greek-led coup followed by an invasion by Turkey. The Turkish-Cypriot area, covering the north and eastern ends of the island, broke away in 1983, declaring itself the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. But Northern Cyprus is not recognized as an independent country by the U.S. or the U.N. — indeed, it’s only recognized by one country: Turkey.
