Peace talks restarted in the Mediterranean on Tuesday after an eighteen month stalemate between the Greek and Turkish leaders of Cyprus. The negotiations were jumpstarted by high-level diplomatic efforts, including involvement from U.S. Vice President Joe Biden. 

Nicosia, the capital city divided by the Green Line, a United Nations buffer zone, stands as a thorn in the side of the European Union. The island nation has been divided since the 1974 invasion by Turkey. Turkish forces have since occupied the northern tip of the island, declaring it the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, an entity only recognized by Turkey. The divided island was thrust back in the spotlight with the admission of the Republic of Cyprus to the EU in 2004, and Turkey’s subsequent failed bid for EU membership.

This week, leaders from both sides met with UN officials, and expressed intent to explore reunification of the island, in the shadows of the fortieth anniversary of the Turkish invasion. The agreement would ideally create a bi-zonal federation with two autonomous regions under one central government.

Gas reserves were discovered on the island in recent years, and Israel has expressed interest in cooperation, but only if Turkey resolves the division issue. The U.S. expressed interest in maintaining peace in the region after the gas discovery, and upped pressure to restart peace talks. The last referendum in 2004, the Annan plan, was rejected by voters. 

An agreement for peace or reunification in Cyprus could mean several things for the world. It would serve as a reminder of the importance of diplomacy in modern day conflict resolution. The process could be an example for future talks and protocols within the Israeli-Palestinian discussions. And it represents a world where economic and social problems can be thoroughly solved through political processes. 

Solving the Cyprus problem is not a simple feat, and requires diplomatic diligence, the luxury of time, and the support of all peoples affected. But it has the potential to set a precedent for the future standards of peace building, and for a process that is as supportive of social justice and cooperation as it is of economic interests and political stability in the region. 

SEE ALSO: Turkey Signs Controversial Deal To Drill In Cyprus

If successful, the Cyprus reunification plan could alter the current relationships between the energy and oil industries of the Middle East and Europe, the bilateral and multilateral relations between Cyprus, the U.S., the EU, and the Middle East, and the ways in which post-conflict negotiations are handled. If it fails, there are no lessons learned. Urban and ethnic divides exist every where in the world, both literally and metaphorically, and we live within them, next to them, and around of them. Because of its EU membership, its location and natural resources, and the conflict’s nonviolent trajectory, Cyprus finds itself in a position to change the narrative of peace building as a whole, if and only if it succeeds in its historically allusive goal. 

SEE ALSO: Cyprus Economy Sparks Conflict

Read more about the Cyprus talks in the LA Times, the Irish Times, and London South East. 

 

Follow Executive Producer Sarah Geisler on Twitter.