Anastasiades’s hope in Erdoğan

Greek Cypriot president Nicos Anastasiades

Greek Cypriot leader calls on new Turkish president to kickstart Cyprus peace process next month

Republic of Cyprus president Nicos Anastasiades hopes the elevation of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to the Turkish presidency will invigorate the peace process.

The president of the Republic of Cyprus used a meeting of Cypriot expatriates this week to call on Mr Erdoğan to demonstrate his goodwill so that a solution to the decades-old dispute can be found.

Mr Anastasiades also criticised the Turkish ship Barbaros, which is conducting exploratory research off the northern coast of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

He said it was part of the island’s exclusive economic zone and that this should not be threatened as talks are ongoing.

The Famagusta Gazette reported that Mr Erdoğan’s position would be demonstrated by consultations and actions that take place in the margins of the UN General Assembly, which will be held in New York next month.

The Greek Cypriot leader’s comments come as he prepares to meet his Turkish Cypriot counterpart Derviş Eroğlu next week in an attempt to try and resume the peace process after a summer of little progress.

Mr Erdoğan is due to visit the island the day before as part of his first overseas visit as Turkish president.