President of Cyprus: Turkey trying to pressure U.N. into recognizing breakaway North Cyprus

NICOSIA — On Sunday, Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades accused the government of break-away Northern Cyprus of trying to drag the U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres into illegal actions, explaining that these attempts were during the Cyprus settlement summit that was held between 27 and 29 April.

Anastasiades indicated that the illegal actions he was referring to was a request made by North Cyprus, with the support of Ankara, for the United Nations to recognize the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus as a condition for the resumption of negotiations.

Anastasiades also pointed out that, during the recent unofficial United Nations conference on Cyprus in Geneva, Turkish and Turkish Cypriot leadership demonstrated a lack of respect for the United Nations Charter and U.N. resolutions relating to Cyprus, as well as the European Union.

In 1974, Cyprus was divided following a failed attempt by Greece to incorporate Cyprus into its territory and a Turkish invasion to prevent the attempt. Previous attempts to unify the two parts under a federal government in accordance with United Nations resolutions have failed.

North Cyprus, in coordination with Turkey, has recently called for a two-state solution in defiance of the U.N. The internationally recognized government of Cyprus has rejected the idea.