German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, has said that it is only through dialogue that disputed issues in the Eastern Mediterranean can be solved.

Merkel was speaking during a teleconference she had on Friday afternoon with Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

According to the Chancellery spokesperson, Steffen Seibert, referring to the Cyprus problem, the Chancellor welcomed the announcement for the beginning of informal talks soon, through the UN mediation.

Moreover, the German Chancellor underlined once again the importance for the EU of having constructive relations with Turkey.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017, at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana, ended inconclusively. The UN Secretary-General invited all parties involved to attend an informal five-plus-one meeting on the Cyprus issue in Geneva, Switzerland, from 27 to 29 April 2021.