Why the World’s Watching Cyprus Unification Talks: QuickTake Q&A

The latest talks to unify Cyprus come as key parties, including Turkey and the U.K., face existential issues at home. Still, the negotiations starting Jan. 9 in Geneva have some forces working in their favor, leading to optimism that 40 years of division might be coming to an end. The Mediterranean island -- less than half the size of New Jersey -- has been split along ethnic lines since 1974, when Turkey invaded to prevent its unification with Greece. It’s divided into the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and, in the south, the Republic of Cyprus. Only the south is internationally recognized.

Political leaders say an accord has never been closer. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will add his weight to the talks on Jan. 12, and he’s expected to be joined by the Greek and British leaders. A deal on one of the world’s toughest diplomatic challenges would be a last hurrah for U.S. President Barack Obama and give U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May some much-needed good news amid the domestic battles over Brexit. Turkey keeps about 35,000 troops on the island, while the U.K., which gave up Cyprus in 1960, still has military bases there.