Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan lambasted Cyprus on Friday after talks with Greek Cypriot leaders in Geneva ended without a breakthrough.

The United Nations has been trying to negotiate a deal ending a decades-long dispute over the divided Mediterranean island, but the first talks since 2017 broke up in Geneva on Thursday without making progress.

Cyprus has been split since 1974, when Turkey occupied the northern third in response to a coup by an Athens-backed junta seeking to annex Cyprus to Greece.

The latest talks collapsed after Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar said they could only move forward if the northern third is accepted as a state.

The breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) is recognised only by Ankara.

"I don't trust southern Cyprus. I don't believe them. They have never acted honestly," Erdogan said, referring to the Republic of Cyprus, which is also a member of the European Union.

He expressed scepticism over plans to hold new talks in two to three months.

"I don't really deem it likely that it will achieve any result because they're (Cyprus) not honest," he told reporters in Istanbul.

Frustration has built on both sides as attempts for resolution fail.

In 2004, Greek Cypriot voters overwhelmingly rejected a UN reunification plan approved by Turkish Cypriots in a simultaneous referendum.

Related Links
All About Oil and Gas News at OilGasDaily.com

Tweet

Tanker collision spilt 400 tonnes of oil off China coast: authorities
Beijing (AFP) April 29, 2021
Around 400 tonnes of oil spilt into the Yellow Sea after a tanker collided with another ship off China's largest crude-receiving port earlier this week, maritime authorities said Thursday. "The amount of oil spilt from the ship into the sea is about 400 tonnes, and the emergency disposal work is being carried out in an orderly manner," said Shandong Maritime Safety Administration in a social media post. "The collision incident has had no impact on ships entering and leaving Qingdao port." It ... read more