Nicosia: The Greek Cypriot negotiator Menelaos Menelaou and Mehmet Dana, the special representative of the Turkish Cypriot leader, convened a "substantive meeting" on Monday afternoon, as reported by the Cyprus News Agency (CNA).
According to Cyprus News Agency, reliable sources indicated that Menelaou and Dana discussed significant issues, methodology, and strategies for building trust during their meeting. This session served as a preparatory step for an upcoming meeting between President Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhrman, scheduled for Thursday, September 17, at 11 a.m.
Cyprus has remained divided since 1974 following Turkey's invasion and occupation of the northern one-third of the island. Despite numerous UN-mediated peace talks, a resolution has remained elusive, primarily due to Turkish intransigence. The most recent negotiations, held in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana, ended without a conclusive agreement.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, whose term is nearing its conclusion, has expressed his intention to organize another meeting in a broader format after thorough preparation, though he has not provided a specific timeline. He has obtained the consensus of both sides and the guarantor powers for this initiative. Mara Angela Holgun, Guterres' Personal Envoy on Cyprus, has been tasked with engaging with the involved parties. Additionally, Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto serves as the European Commission's Special Representative for Cyprus, succeeding EU special envoy Johannes Hahn.