Nicosia: For the first time since the Crans-Montana Conference, the core aspects of the Cyprus issue and specific elements of the negotiating framework have been addressed, according to the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides. This development follows a trilateral meeting held on Wednesday with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman.
According to Cyprus News Agency, President Christodoulides, speaking from the Presidential Palace, emphasized the meeting's focus on "specific issues" and "the convergences" that were discussed, which led the UN Secretary-General to refer to Crans-Montana in his public statement. The President expressed optimism about the positive response from the Turkish side, following contacts made by the UN Secretary-General to secure approval for an expanded 5+1 meeting.
President Christodoulides also announced an upcoming meeting with the EU Special Representative for Cyprus, Raffaele Fitto, who will also engage with the Turkish Cypriot leader. The President praised the UN Secretary-General's efforts to restart substantive negotiations and highlighted three key points from recent contacts. These included the Secretary-General's commitment to UN Security Council resolutions and the negotiation framework established up to the Crans-Montana talks, as well as the positive reception of the proposal for an expanded conference.
The President expressed readiness to work with Ms. Holgun, the UNSG's special envoy on Cyprus, and the European Union to prepare for the expanded meeting, aiming for a positive announcement on resuming negotiations from where they left off at Crans-Montana. He highlighted the clarification of issues around the negotiating framework and the EU's potential role in the negotiations, particularly regarding unresolved issues and EU-Turkey relations.
Despite no new announcements from the UN Secretary-General, the President noted the positive outcome of agreed plans for an expanded conference, emphasizing the clarity around the negotiating framework and the EU's supportive role. He acknowledged that while the outcome could have been more favorable, the foundation laid by Guterres' visit to Cyprus was significant for future negotiations.
In response to questions about the methodology and progress on confidence-building measures (CBMs), the President clarified that while CBMs could be beneficial, they were not prerequisites for the conference. The President reiterated the importance of discussing the substance of the Cyprus issue, noting that this focus was a key aspect of the recent discussions.
Cyprus has remained divided since 1974 following Turkey's invasion and occupation of its northern part. Previous UN-led peace talks have not yielded results, with the last negotiations in Crans-Montana in 2017 ending without resolution. As Antonio Guterres' term as UN Secretary-General nears its end, efforts are being made to hold a broader meeting. Mara Angela Holgun, Guterres' Personal Envoy on Cyprus, and Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto, the European Commission's Special Representative for Cyprus, are pivotal figures in facilitating these discussions.