Athens: Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis is set to meet with the UN Secretary General's Personal Envoy on Cyprus, Mara Angela Holgun, in Athens on Friday. The meeting is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. local time and is expected to focus on the ongoing Cyprus issue.
According to Cyprus News Agency, this meeting follows a series of discussions held by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis with the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, emphasizing developments concerning Cyprus. Holgun's visit to Greece is part of her diplomatic tour, which includes a subsequent trip to Turkey, following a week-long visit to Cyprus. During her time in Cyprus, Holgun held separate meetings with President Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman, as well as a joint meeting with both leaders.
Cyprus has experienced division since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied the northern third of the island. Despite numerous rounds of UN-led peace talks, a resolution remains elusive, partly due to Turkish intransigence. The most recent negotiations in July 2017 at Crans-Montana in Switzerland ended without a resolution.
In 2025, the Secretary-General hosted two informal meetings on Cyprus, one in March in Geneva and another in July in New York. A tripartite meeting with Cyprus leaders also occurred in late September during the UN General Assembly High Level Week. Further informal meetings in a broader format are anticipated.
Mara Angela Holgun's role as the UN Secretary-General's Personal Envoy on Cyprus involves engaging with the relevant parties. Former European Commissioner Johannes Hahn, appointed by the European Commission as Special Envoy for Cyprus, is also expected to assist in the settlement process in collaboration with Holgun.