Cyprus appears close to a deal that would open four new crossing points between the island's divided communities and cle...

Cyprus appears close to a deal that would open four new crossing points between the island's divided communities and clear tens of thousands of square metres of minefields, ahead of a critical UN-mediated meeting on Monday. The package covers four specific routes: Mia Milia, the Athienou-Pyroi-Aglantzia corridor, Louroujina-Lympia, and Kambos-Karavostasi. The last of these was added by Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides as an alternative to a crossing near Kokkina, which the Turkish side refuses to discuss because it has declared the area a military zone. The demining component covers 70,000 square metres. The Greek Cypriot side has accepted the proposal, but the Turkish Cypriot side is pushing for broader clearance beyond the designated zones and has not yet formally agreed. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's personal envoy, Maria Angela Holguin, gave both sides until Friday to respond and will host the two leaders at 11am on Monday, November 9. Christodoulides said he had spoken to Holguin by phone and that she told him announcements could come as early as this weekend. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan traveled to the occupied north Friday and met Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman for over an hour. No statements were made after the meeting, though the Turkish side's response to the UN package was expected to follow. If both sides agree, the sequence would move to a 2+1 meeting with Guterres himself, then potentially a 5+1 conference with the foreign ministers of Greece, Turkey, and Britain, all before Guterres leaves office at the end of the year. The Turkish side has already signaled that whatever comes next, the end goal must be recognition of two separate states, a position that fundamentally conflicts with how Cyprus, Greece, and the international community view the problem. #Cyprus #CyprusTalks #Guterres