Turkey will not negotiate ‘Cyprus issue’ forever, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Thursday as leaders continued talks aimed at reuniting the island after more than 40 years of division.

Speaking to Turkish media in Switzerland, Cavusoglu said the talks should concentrate on finding a solution, adding that the withdrawal of Turkish troops from the divided island is “a dream”.

Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci met in the Swiss alpine resort of Crans-Montana, joined by United Nations envoy Espen Barth Eide and the foreign ministers of Greece and Turkey, for the second day of negotiations on Thursday.

Cyprus was split in a Turkish invasion in 1974, triggered by a brief Greek-inspired coup. Turkey supports a breakaway Turkish Cypriot state in northern Cyprus.

Reuters