This is probably the last chance to resolve the Cyprus problem, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has said, adding that “we must keep open a window of hope for a solution,” despite the fact that the present circumstances are not the best possible.

Replying to a question during a briefing to the press at the conclusion of the EU Summit in Brussels, Tspiras said “I think we need to keep open a window of opportunity and hope for a solution in Cyprus.”

“The timing”, the Prime Minister noted, “and the conditions are not the best possible”. Tsipras explained that the agenda in the relations between Turkey and Europe is negative and there is an escalation of tension from Turkey especially after July’s attempted coup in the country. He also said that Ankara makes, in many opportunity, unacceptable statements that challenge international treaties.

He noted however that on the other hand, “there is a positive momentum because both Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades and the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci want a solution and they want it sincerely”.

He expressed the view that this is perhaps the last chance for a solution because, as he said, if another decade elapses, future generations on the island will not have memories of common coexistence between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots and therefore the notion which argues that there is no reason to change the current situation will be consolidated.

“This is a very important opportunity for the EU to have finally a success story and for this reason, President Anastasiades and I have asked Europe to take an active role,” he added.

“Cyprus is now an EU member-state. It is not a third country that negotiates with Turkey,” Tsipras pointed out.

He added that a possible solution in Cyprus would have a positive impact on the region, but also on the crucial Euro-Turkish agreement in relation to refugee flows.

“We have clearly defined the red lines. There can be no solution under the anachronistic guarantees system of the 1960s and no solution if Turkey insists on its unreasonable demand to maintain Turkish troops on the island,” he said.

Furthermore, he said, “we made it clear to the EU that such a scenario would not only be bad for Greece and Cyprus, but also for Europe itself, which is likely to have a member state at the table along with the other 27 members, which is under the continuous threat by the Turkish troops.”

Tsipras said it was also clarified and the EU member states agreed that great efforts must be made to reach a viable solution. “I believe that we will see that in the coming days,” he added. He expressed hope that Turkey will no longer insist on being intransigent. “We want to have a way out and we will fight for it,” he said.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. UN brokered talks resumed in May 2015 aiming to reunify the island under a federal roof.

Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci decided on December 1 that they will meet in Geneva on January 9, 2017. On January 11 they will present their respective maps relating to the territory chapter and on January 12 a Conference on Cyprus will be convened with the added participation of the guarantor powers (Greece, Turkey and the UK), while other relevant parties shall be invited as needed.