Nicosia: President of the Republic of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides said on Tuesday that he is departing for the informal expanded meeting on Cyprus in New York with the aim of creating conditions for the resumption of talks. The meeting will take place on July 16 and 17 under the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the President, while speaking at the annual memorial service for the fallen heroes during the 1974 coup against the government, emphasized that there are red lines and clarified that Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) do not replace the solution to the Cyprus problem. “We have goals, we have our aspirations. For us, the current state of affairs cannot be the future of our country,” President Christodoulides stated. He added that the delegation is heading to New York to foster conditions for the resumption of talks, fully aware of the difficulties, problems, and challenges.
The President highlighted the progress made since March 2023, noting that the initial efforts led to appointments and meetings, despite Turkish approaches that could have hindered these developments. He acknowledged the persistent challenges in resolving the Cyprus issue but stressed a clear plan heading into the New York meeting.
Regarding the European Union’s involvement, especially since the European Commission’s Envoy for the Cyprus issue, Johannes Hahn, will not attend the New York meeting, the President referenced a European Union letter from the Geneva meeting in March. This letter serves as a point of reference concerning the EU’s interest and the framework for a solution. He mentioned that the appointment of an Envoy was a request from Nicosia and noted that Hahn’s presence would be beneficial, considering the Turkish side’s stance. The aim is for the EU to participate in resuming substantive talks.
The President further explained that Hahn has been actively engaged, particularly in dealing with Turkey, and emphasized that any EU-Turkey relations developments hinge on progress in the Cyprus issue.
On the topic of red lines and CBMs, President Christodoulides made it clear that any CBMs should support the effort to resolve the Cyprus issue within the agreed framework, and they are not a substitute for a solution. He reiterated the readiness to discuss CBMs that promote the resolution of the Cyprus problem based on the agreed framework, firmly stating that the Republic of Cyprus will not entertain CBMs aligning with Turkish proposals on a two-state solution.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974 following Turkey’s invasion and occupation of the northern third. Despite multiple rounds of UN-led peace talks, Turkish intransigence has yet to yield results. The latest negotiations in July 2017 at Crans-Montana ended without a conclusion.
This week’s informal meeting in New York is a follow-up to a similar March meeting in Geneva. UN Secretary-General Ant³nio Guterres appointed Mara Angela Holgun Cu©llar of Colombia as his Personal Envoy on Cyprus to reengage with the parties and advise on next steps. Holgun completed a prior assignment as Personal Envoy on Cyprus from January to July 2024. The European Commission appointed Johannes Hahn as Special Envoy for Cyprus to contribute to the settlement process, collaborating closely with Holgun.