The following is from VOA News: "Cyprus Observes 29th Anniversary of Island's Division." Unfortunately, the opening of the green line three months ago has done little to encourage renewed talks aimed at a permanent settlement.
The U.N. special envoy to Cyprus, Alevero De Soto, says the open border is a small thing, compared to what is needed on the island.
"It does not solve the Cyprus problem; it doesn't reunify the island; it does not get Turkish Cypriots into the EU," said Mr. De Soto. "All the pending issues regarding territory, property claims, how they would govern themselves if they were to get back together again, even the security problems - they are all pending.
"Nothing has been resolved," he continued. "All you have is a certain freedom of movement. The parties know what they have to do to get the [U.N.] secretary-general involved again, and that is to accept a serious framework and timetable for negotiations, that is to pick up where we left off when the secretary-general's three-year effort didn't come to a conclusion at the beginning of March."
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