Reunifying Cyprus

Cyprus is less than half the size of New Jersey, but its spot at the crossroads of Europe and the Middle East made it much fought-over for centuries. For more than 40 years, the eastern Mediterranean island has been split along ethnic lines, with Turkish Cypriots living in a breakaway state in the north and Greek Cypriots in the internationally recognized section of the Republic of Cyprus in the south. A militarized buffer zone runs across the island and through the capital of Nicosia. Now the lure of riches from selling natural gas — and the rise of reconciliation-minded Cypriot leaders — have fueled optimism that the latest talks on reunification could end the long-frozen conflict. A deal would free up trade and investment and serve as a beacon of hope in a region roiled by violence and ethnic divisions.

The two sides envision a federal state overseeing areas such as defense and foreign relations that allows them to each govern its own affairs. There are sticking points over land and compensation, but the biggest fight is over security. Turkey has insisted on maintaining the right to intervene in the north if the island's territorial integrity or independence comes under threat. Turkey, Greece and the U.K. were given the power to intervene on the island under the agreement that ended colonial rule in Cyprus in 1960. Hopes were raised when the foreign ministers of all three countries, which maintain forced on the island, joined reunification talks in Geneva in January. The talks will resume June 28. Greece and Britain say they'd give up the right to intervene, though Turkey says its forces are still needed to safeguard Turkish Cypriots, a minority of about one-fifth of the island's population of 1.1 million. There’s a lot at stake: Reunification would make it possible to pump gas from the eastern Mediterranean into Europe via a pipeline through Cyprus to Turkey. Greece and Turkey are also both members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, and have been at odds over Cyprus. A rapprochement would strengthen the military alliance as Russia expands its influence in the region.