Athens: US Special Representative for the Cyprus issue Raffaele Fitto is set to engage in crucial meetings in Athens and Ankara in the coming days. These meetings are part of ongoing efforts to support the Cyprus reunification process. However, it is noted that Fitto is not expected to attend the High-Level Week of the UN General Assembly in New York.

According to Cyprus News Agency, UN Secretary-General's Personal Envoy for Cyprus, Maria Angela Holguin, will be traveling to New York during the General Assembly's High-Level Week. Preparations for President of the Republic of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides' program in New York are in progress, including planned meetings with the UN Secretary-General.

In a related development, Greek Cypriot negotiator Menelaos Menelaou and the Turkish Cypriot leader's special representative Mehmet Dana held a comprehensive meeting on Monday afternoon. The meeting covered substantive issues, methodologies, and confidence-building measures, setting the stage for a scheduled meeting between President Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman on Thursday, September 17, at 11 am.

This upcoming meeting will mark the third interaction between the two leaders since UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres left Cyprus in late July. Guterres had previously urged both sides to advance in confidence-building measures and substantive talks. As Guterres' term nears its conclusion, he announced plans to convene another broader meeting after adequate preparation, though no specific timeline was provided. Holguin, Guterres' Personal Envoy on Cyprus, is actively engaging with the parties to facilitate progress.

Cyprus has remained divided since 1974 following Turkey's invasion and occupation of its northern third. Despite numerous UN-led peace talks, a resolution has not been achieved, primarily due to Turkish intransigence. The last round of negotiations, which took place in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana, ended without resolution.