During a visit to the divided island, Guterres says he wants talks, which have been suspended for many years, to resume.
A solution is absolutely necessary, not only for the Cypriots but as a factor of stability in an increasingly unstable region, he says after meeting with both Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot representatives.
Since Turkey's invasion in 1974, Cyprus has been divided into a Greek Cypriot southern part and a Turkish Cypriot part in the north.
The UN has organised several peace talks over the years, but without success. Guterres has not presented a timeframe for the planned talks, but Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has already reacted, saying that “any solutions that ignore the sovereignty of the Turkish Cypriots are doomed.”
