Nicosia: The government welcomes the appointment of Marangela Holgun Cullar as the UN Secretary General’s Personal Envoy for the Cyprus problem, Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis said on Friday evening in a written statement. This appointment, Letymbiotis noted, is tangible proof of the UN Secretary-General’s personal commitment to the effort to resume the negotiations and demonstrates his will to contribute in a substantive way to breaking the deadlock and resuming the peace process.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the government expressed its unwavering commitment to reaching a just, viable, and functional solution to the Cyprus problem, based on the United Nations Security Council Resolutions and the agreed framework. The government is prepared to cooperate closely and constructively with the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General, especially in the context of the upcoming expanded conference in July. This conference is seen as a potential starting point for the resumption of negotiations.
Furthermore, Letymbiotis emphasized the government’s dedication to the reunification of Cyprus as a modern, European, and democratic state, without foreign guarantees, occupying troops, and outdated invasive rights. The government remains at the forefront of diplomatic efforts, working responsibly and realistically to end the occupation and achieve the reunification of the island.
The Spokesperson underlined the enduring hope for a solution, highlighting that it is everyone’s duty to turn this hope into reality. Cyprus has been divided since 1974, following Turkey’s invasion and occupation of its northern third. Previous UN-led peace talks have failed to produce results due to Turkish intransigence, with the last round of negotiations in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ending inconclusively.
The UN Secretary General has announced an informal meeting on Cyprus in a broader format at the end of July, following a similar meeting in Geneva on March 17-18.