Whether it was Geneva in Switzerland, Troutbeck in New York or Greentree in Pennsylvania, the leaders of Cyprus' rival Greek- and Turkish-speaking communities have often locked horns in foreign resorts to thrash out a deal that would end this tiny, eastern Mediterranean island's decades of ethnic division. [...] maybe — just maybe — this time, Greek Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and Mustafa Akinci, the leader of the breakaway Turkish Cypriots, may boldly go in five days of talks beginning Monday in the Swiss resort of Mont Pelerin where their predecessors have not gone before. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini says a peace deal would be a "game changer" for the European Union and for a conflict-wracked region. If Greek Cypriot Orthodox Christians and Turkish Cypriot Sunni Muslims could run a country together it would be a positive signal. Turkey's increasingly authoritarian ways and aggressive rhetoric does little to inspire confidence among Greek Cypriots. Turkish Cypriots see Turkey's military might as their sole protection but Greek Cypriots say no EU country needs third-country security guarantees, especially from a country they see as a threat.
 |
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.sfgate.com |