Nicosia: The President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, and the Turkish Cypriot leader, Tufan Erhrman, have agreed to increase the frequency of their meetings, committing to convene once a week and potentially more often as circumstances demand. They also plan to announce the members of the Steering Committee of the Civil Society Consultative Body tomorrow, Thursday, August 27.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the United Nations issued a press statement following the leaders' meeting on Wednesday evening. The statement highlighted the leaders' gratitude towards UN Secretary-General Ant³nio Guterres for his recent visit to Cyprus and his ongoing dedication to resolving the Cyprus issue. The leaders reviewed progress based on the framework established during Guterres' visit and decided to intensify their discussions to advance the peace process.
Cyprus remains divided since 1974, following Turkey's invasion and occupation of its northern third. Numerous UN-led peace negotiations have yet to achieve a resolution due to persistent disagreements. The latest negotiations, held in July 2017 at Crans-Montana, Switzerland, ended without an agreement.
UN Secretary-General Ant³nio Guterres, approaching the end of his term, has indicated plans for another meeting involving a broader spectrum of stakeholders, contingent on adequate preparation. He has secured agreement from both Cypriot parties and the guarantor powers. Mara Angela Holgun, appointed as Guterres' Personal Envoy on Cyprus, will engage with the parties, while Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto serves as the European Commission's Special Representative for Cyprus, following Johannes Hahn.