Nicosia: The Greek Cypriot side aims to have a substantive discussion during the forthcoming meeting between the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman on August 26th. Well-informed sources have indicated that the goal is to delve into the details discussed during the recent visit of the UN Secretary-General to Cyprus, focusing particularly on the preparation for the next meeting on Cyprus in a broader format.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the negotiators from both sides are set to meet in the coming days to lay the groundwork for the leaders' meeting. Cyprus, divided since 1974 following Turkey's invasion and occupation of its northern third, has witnessed multiple rounds of UN-led peace talks. However, these efforts have consistently failed to produce results, primarily due to Turkish intransigence. The latest round of negotiations, which took place in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana, ended without a resolution.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, whose term is nearing its end, announced plans to convene another meeting in a broader format, contingent upon adequate preparation, though he did not specify a timeline. He has obtained the consensus of both sides and the guarantor powers to move forward. Mara Angela Holgun, Guterres' Personal Envoy on Cyprus, is tasked with engaging with the parties, while Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto serves as the European Commission's Special Representative for Cyprus, succeeding the EU special envoy Johannes Hahn.