Rival sides dive deep on security in Cyprus peace talks

June 29, 2017 at 5:52 a.m. | Updated June 29, 2017 at 6:05 a.m.

by Associated Press

A supporter for peace waves a flag reading in Greek and Turkish "Peace" during a protest with Greek and Turkish Cypriots to call to the rival leaders of the two communities for a peace in the island at Ledras main crossing point inside the U.N buffer zone that divided the Greek and Turkish Cypriots controlled areas, Nicosia, Cyprus, Wednesday, June 28, 2017. Several hundred Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots gathered in the divided capital's medieval center at a checkpoint along the U.N.-controlled buffer zone to voice their support for peace. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)
A supporter for peace waves a flag reading in Greek and Turkish "Peace" during a protest with Greek and Turkish Cypriots to call to the rival leaders of the two communities for a peace in the island at Ledras main crossing point inside the U.N buffer zone that divided the Greek and Turkish Cypriots controlled areas, Nicosia, Cyprus, Wednesday, June 28, 2017. Several hundred Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots gathered in the divided capital's medieval center at a checkpoint along the U.N.-controlled buffer zone to voice their support for peace. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) - The rival sides in talks to reunify ethnically divided Cyprus are delving deeper into how new security arrangements will work after a peace deal is agreed.

On the second day of high-level, United Nations-sponsored talks at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana on Thursday, discussions centered again on the thorny security issues that are considered pivotal to resolving the decades-long split on the east Mediterranean island nation.

The island's Greek Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades has said that he, Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci and top diplomats from the island's so-called guarantor powers - Greece, Turkey and Britain - will answer what security framework they envision for an aimed-for federated Cyprus.

Anastasiades said discussions will revolve around three questions posed by United Nations Under-Secretary-General Jeffrey Feltman regarding ways of guaranteeing security.

Upcoming Events