Nicosia: The President of Democratic Rally (DISY), Annita Demetriou, has reached out to the European People's Party (EPP) through a letter addressed to its President, Manfred Weber, requesting increased European backing in efforts to reignite discussions aimed at resolving the long-standing Cyprus issue.
According to Cyprus News Agency, Demetriou, through a DISY press release, emphasized the crucial nature of the initiatives currently being pursued under the guidance of the United Nations Secretary-General. She underscored the efforts of his Personal Envoy, Mara ngela Holgun, who is working towards organizing a new informal expanded meeting in the '5+1' format.
In her letter, the DISY President urged the EPP to lend its political support to the ongoing UN-led process. She also called for the party's assistance in advocating at the European level for the appointment of a new EU Special Envoy for Cyprus, aiming to maintain continuity and bolster the involvement of the European Union in the peace process.
Demetriou expressed her gratitude to the EPP and its President for their steadfast support of a solution grounded in UN Security Council resolutions and European principles and values. She also lauded them for their opposition to Turkey's proposal for a two-state solution. The letter was distributed among all EPP leaders.
Cyprus has experienced division since 1974, following Turkey's invasion and occupation of its northern third. Numerous UN-led peace negotiations have failed to produce a resolution, largely due to what has been described as Turkish intransigence. The most recent substantial negotiations, held in July 2017 at Crans-Montana in Switzerland, ended without agreement.
In 2025, the UN Secretary-General facilitated two informal meetings concerning Cyprus, one in March in Geneva and another in July in New York. Additionally, a tripartite meeting with Cypriot leaders took place in late September, coinciding with the conclusion of the UN General Assembly High-Level Week. An anticipated informal meeting in a broader format is yet to be scheduled. Mara ngela Holgun, the UN Secretary-General's Personal Envoy on Cyprus, continues her engagement with the involved parties.