Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders resumed talks on Feb. 11, in a fresh effort to try and resolve the Cyprus problem of over 50 years' standing. These talks follow a hiatus of a year and a half, and are the result of a forceful intervention by Washington, which has taken the lead again in efforts to reunite the divided island.
Diplomats and analysts indicate that given current developments in the Middle East, a settlement on Cyprus will also contribute to stability in the Eastern Mediterranean, and argue this is one of the reasons behind the current US intervention. There also exists a much better atmosphere between Turkey and Greece today, with the two countries appearing to have put knee-jerk nationalism aside, which increases the prospect for a settlement to the Cyprus problem.
