Editing Cyprus problem (section)

==Opinion on solutions==
Peace scholars have suggested that a solution to the Cyprus conflict can only be found by including society on a broad base, as political elites were treating the conflict as a source of power and resources.<ref>{{cite book |url=http://www.projectcore.eu/files/CORE_Policy_Brief_2-2013.pdf |author1=Birte Vogel |author2=Oliver Richmond |date=April 2013 |isbn=978-82-7288-509-9|title=Enabling civil society in conflict resolution |access-date=17 January 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140304122216/http://www.projectcore.eu/files/CORE_Policy_Brief_2-2013.pdf |archive-date=4 March 2014  }}</ref>

===Reunification of Cyprus===
An international panel of legal experts proposed the "creation of a Constitutional Convention under European Union auspices and on the basis of the 1960 Cyprus Constitution to bring together the parties directly concerned in order to reach a settlement in conformity with the Fundamental Principles".
<ref>See [http://agora-dialogue.com/?p=26620 "A principled basis for a just and lasting Cyprus settlement in the light of International and European Law"]. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402130547/http://agora-dialogue.com/?p=26620 |date=2 April 2012 }}</ref>

In an official [[White House]] statement on 8 June 2016, US Vice-president [[Joe Biden]] and Turkish Prime Minister [[Binali Yildirim]] reaffirmed strong support for "an agreement that reunifies the island as a bi-zonal, bi-communal [[federation]]".<ref>{{cite press release |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Readout of Vice President Biden's Call with Prime Minister Binali Yildirim of Turkey |url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2016/06/08/readout-vice-president-bidens-call-prime-minister-binali-yildirim-turkey |location=Washington, D.C. |date=8 June 2016 |via=[[NARA|National Archives]]|work=[[whitehouse.gov]]|access-date=19 May 2018}}</ref> After the collapse of Crans-Montana Summit in 2017, the Turkish Cypriot leadership and Turkey changed their policy from bi-zonal, bi-communal federation to [[Two-state solution (Cyprus)|the two-state solution]].<ref>See [https://www.interanalytics.org/jour/article/view/458/396 "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus as a De Facto and Limited Recognized State: From Federal Solution to Two State Model"]. Journal of International Analytics. Volume 13, No 4 (2022)</ref>

At least since 1991, the United Nations Security Council has described its desired solution as "a bicommunal, bizonal federation with political equality".<ref>{{cite web |author=United Nations Security Council |title=Resolution 2771 (2025) |date=31 January 2025 |url=https://docs.un.org/en/S/RES/2771(2025)}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=United Nations Security Council |title=Resolution 723 (1991) |date=12 December 1991 |url=https://docs.un.org/en/S/RES/716(1991)}}</ref> The most recent expression of this opinion, in January 2025, was unanimous.<ref>{{cite web |author=United Nations Security Council |title=Security Council, 80th year: 9854th meeting |date=31 January 2025 |url=https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/4073926}}</ref>

===Two-state solution===
{{main|Two-state solution (Cyprus)}}
[[File:Congressional Research Service Report R41136 - Cyprus - Reunification Proving Elusive.pdf|thumb|A 2019 [[Congressional Research Service]] report on reunification]]
[[Turkey]] has often expressed its support for the two-state solution, most notably by Turkish President [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan]] during his visit to Northern Cyprus in 2020.<ref name="reuters-cyprus">{{cite news |title=Erdogan visits Northern Cyprus, calls for two-state solution for island |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-cyprus-turkey/erdogan-visits-breakaway-northern-cyprus-after-ally-wins-vote-idUSKBN27V0B5 |work=Reuters |date=15 November 2020}}</ref> 
A number of observers suggest partition is the best solution.<ref>For example:
*{{cite book|title=The Cyprus Problem: What Everyone Needs to Know|author=((James Ker-Lindsay (UN Secretary-General's Special Advisor on Cyprus)))|publisher=Oxford University Press|date=April 2011|isbn=978-0199757152|ref=none }}
*{{cite news|author=Hugo Gobbi (United Nations Secretary General's former Special Representative on Cyprus)|newspaper=Cyprus Mail|date=26 February 1996|title=Partition may be the only solution|ref=none}}
*James Ker-Lindsay (expert advisor to UN Special Advisor on Cyprus): "As the status quo in Cyprus becomes untenable, perhaps the solution lies in a more radical option – partition." {{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2007/sep/03/theunmentionablesolutionpart2|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|title=The unmentionable solution - part 2| author=James Ker-Lindsay|date=3 September 2007|access-date=18 May 2018|ref=none}}
* Michael Moran (Sussex University). {{cite web| title=Denktaş: Toplu mezarlar zamanına döneriz |language= tr |url= http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/dunya/11888506_p.asp|date=18 June 2009|website=Hürriyet}}
* Riz Khan (Al-Jazeera): {{cite news|url=http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/rizkhan/2010/11/2010111792144257228.html|title=Cyprus: time for formal partition?| date=10 November 2010|access-date=18 May 2018}}
* Jack Straw (UK Foreign Secretary): "Cyprus should be partitioned". Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/3kNTTmJSA8E Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20150705175923/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kNTTmJSA8E Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kNTTmJSA8E|title=Today|work=BBC Radio 4|date=8 November 2010}}{{cbignore}}
*{{cite web|author=William Chislett| publisher=[[Elcano Royal Institute|Real Instituto Elcano]]|location=Spain|url=http://www.realinstitutoelcano.org/wps/portal/web/rielcano_en/contenido?WCM_GLOBAL_CONTEXT=/elcano/elcano_in/zonas_in/europe/dt21-2010|title=Cyprus: Time for a Negotiated Partition?|date=5 July 2010|ref=none}}
*Marios Matsakis (Greek Cypriot [[Member of the European Parliament|MEP]]), Hermes Solomon and Loucas Charalambous (Greek Cypriot columnists, ''Cyprus Mail''), Nicola Solomonides (Greek Cypriot academic), Rauf Denktas (founder of Northern Cyprus)
*Clement Dodd: "Exactly fifty years after Cyprus became independent, the chances of reuniting the island look slim." Quoted in {{cite news|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/To+those+who+think+Cyprus+cannot+be+partitioned...it+already+is.-a0244119745|newspaper=Cyprus Mail|date=12 December 2010| title=To those who think Cyprus cannot be partitioned...it already is.}}
*Chaim Kaufmann, quoted in {{cite book|year=1999|chapter=When All Else Fails: Evaluating Population Transfers and Partition as Solutions to Ethnic Conflict|author1=Barbara F. Walter|author2=Jack Snydered|title=Civil War, Insecurity, and Intervention|location=New York|publisher=Columbia University Press|page=248|quote=We should not fail to separate populations in cases that have already produced large-scale violence and intense security dilemmas.|ref=none}}
*{{cite journal|author=Chaim Kaufmann|date=22 May 2007|title=An Assessment of the Partition of Cyprus|journal=International Studies Perspectives|volume=8|issue=2|pages=220–221|quote=the partition of Cyprus contributed to the settlement of violent conflict there|doi=10.1111/j.1528-3585.2007.00281.x|ref=none}}
*[http://cyprus-mail.com/2014/01/12/our-view-gas-role-in-talks-the-latest-in-long-line-of-fantasies Cyprus Mail, 12 January 2014]: "The only Plan B on offer is partition which may well be the only viable solution after all these years, but this should be made clear."</ref>

===Polls===
In April 2009, an opinion poll conducted for the [[Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation]] (CyBC) showed that the majority of Greek Cypriots supported partition.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=Cyprus Mail|url=http://cyprus-mail.com/2017/02/05/majority-want-partition/|date=5 February 2017|title=Why the majority want partition|author=Loucas Charalambous}}</ref> In an opinion poll in 2010, 84% of Greek Cypriots and 70% of Turkish Cypriots assumed that: "the other side would never accept the actual compromises and concessions that are needed for a fair and viable settlement".<ref>{{cite web|title=Cyprus 2015 Initiative: Solving the Cyprus Problem: Hopes and Fears; 2011, p. 38|url=http://www.digital-development-debates.org/issue-09-prejudice--conflict--cyprus-prejudice-and-bias-prevent-reunification.html|publisher=UNDP |access-date=25 March 2020}}</ref>

According to a January 2020 poll by Gezici, the two-state solution had a support rate of 81.3% among [[Turkish Cypriots]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Gezici Poll firm revealed survey results: Tatar is leading|url=https://www.gundemkibris.com/kibris/gezici-anket-sonuclarini-acikladi-tatar-onde-h288889.html|publisher=Gundem Kibris, 20.01.2020 |accessdate=25 March 2020}}</ref> In an opinion poll conducted in May 2021 by CyBC, 36% of Greek Cypriots considered that the best solution to the Cyprus problem was a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation, 19% considered a unitary state, and 4% considered two separate states.<ref>citation needed</ref> In another opinion poll conducted by Cypronetwork among Greek Cypriots on behalf of the CyBC in 2022, 36% stated that the best solution to the Cyprus problem was a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation, 18% stated two separate states was the best option, 19% preferred a unitary state, and 13% favoured the status quo.<ref>{{cite news |title=Majority of Cypriots feel 'anxious, dissatisfied and angry' – poll |url=https://cyprus-mail.com/2022/11/17/majority-of-cypriots-feel-anxious-dissatisfied-and-angry-poll |access-date=18 November 2022}}</ref>