New york: Greek Foreign Affairs Minister George Gerapetritis is in New York attending an informal meeting on the Cyprus problem, convened by UN Secretary-General Ant³nio Guterres. The meeting, which takes place on July 16-17, aims to address the ongoing division of Cyprus, a situation persisting since Turkey’s invasion and occupation of the northern third of the island in 1974.
According to Cyprus News Agency, Gerapetritis will participate in multiple key events, including a working dinner for heads of delegations on Wednesday, followed by plenary sessions on Thursday. In addition to these engagements, Gerapetritis is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with UN Secretary-General Guterres.
The meeting in New York is part of continued efforts to resolve the Cyprus issue, following a similar gathering in Geneva earlier this year. Despite numerous rounds of UN-led peace talks, a resolution has remained elusive, primarily due to Turkish resistance. The most recent negotiations, held in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, in July 2017, ended without agreement.
UN Secretary-General Guterres recently appointed Mara Angela Holgun Cu©llar of Colombia as his Personal Envoy on Cyprus to reengage with involved parties and advise on possible next steps. Holgun has experience in this role, having served as Personal Envoy from January to July 2024.
Additionally, the European Commission has appointed Johannes Hahn as Special Envoy for Cyprus. Hahn, a former European Commissioner, is tasked with working closely with Holgun to advance the settlement process.