Nicosia: President of the Hellenic Republic, Konstantinos Tasoulas, who is in Cyprus on a three-day official visit, began the second day of his schedule with a visit to the Nicosia Town Hall and a tour along the ceasefire line, accompanied by Cyprus President, Nikos Christodoulides and Nicosia Mayor, Charalambos Prountzos.
According to Cyprus News Agency, Prountzos welcomed President Tasoulas and President Christodoulides at around 9 am on Thursday at the Town Hall. The group was then shown a three-dimensional model of the surrounding area inside the building. They proceeded to the roof of the Town Hall, which offers panoramic views of the capital.
Following this, they walked along the ceasefire line near the Town Hall. Prountzos explained to Tasoulas that while users and owners of some buildings, part of which fall within the ceasefire line, can use them, they are restricted from opening windows or doors on the side that lies within the green line.
President Tasoulas, President Christodoulides, and Prountzos also visited the CYENS Centre of Excellence. There, they were welcomed by the center’s general director, Yiorgos Chrysanthou, who discussed the work conducted at the center. During the visit, President Tasoulas viewed the ‘Nemata’ (Threads) project, which was commissioned by the Deputy Ministry of Culture to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Turkish Invasion of Cyprus. The project involved refugees pulling threads to record their journey on the island from 1974 to the present.
The visit concluded with coffee offered by the Town Hall to the two Presidents at a cafeteria outside CYENS. President Tasoulas was accompanied by the Ambassador of Greece to Cyprus, Ioannis Papameletiou, among others.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, following Turkey’s invasion and occupation of its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have yet to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, held in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana, ended inconclusively.
UN Secretary General Ant³nio Guterres announced that an informal meeting on Cyprus in a broader format would occur at the end of July, following a similar meeting in Geneva on March 17-18. The two sides agreed to proceed with several initiatives, including the opening of crossing points and the creation of a Technical Committee on Youth.
In early May, Guterres announced the appointment of Mara Angela Holgun Cu©llar of Colombia as his Personal Envoy on Cyprus. Holgun is tasked with reengaging with the parties to work on the next steps on the Cyprus issue and advise him. She completed a previous assignment as Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General on Cyprus from January to July 2024.