Nicosia: UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy on Cyprus, Maria Angela Holguin, expressed her optimism regarding the upcoming meeting with the UN Secretary-General scheduled for July, anticipating positive outcomes.
According to Cyprus News Agency, Holguin shared her thoughts following a meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar in the Turkish-occupied part of Nicosia. She described the meeting as productive, stating, “I just had a very good meeting with Mr. Tatar, we continued to work” ahead of the July meeting, aiming to achieve results.
Holguin expressed her satisfaction with the progress made, highlighting her engagements with the Technical Committees and her enthusiasm about the Youth Committee’s efforts. She remarked, “I think it is a very good path and it is a path to connect to the future, people are very happy to be together, to work together and I think this is one of the results of the May meeting in Geneva.”
In addition to her meeting with Tatar, Holguin noted her discussions with the Technical Committees on Culture and the Environment, as well as ongoing work on a solar plant project. She conveyed her hope for achieving notable results by July.
Holguin also mentioned her plans to meet the Greek Cypriot leader and engage with the Chamber of Commerce from both communities, emphasizing her commitment to fostering cooperation between the two sides.
Cyprus has remained divided since 1974, following Turkey’s invasion and occupation of its northern third. Previous UN-led peace talks have not yet achieved a resolution, often hindered by Turkish intransigence. The last significant negotiation attempt took place in July 2017 at Crans-Montana, Switzerland, but ended without a conclusive agreement.
UN Secretary-General Ant³nio Guterres announced an informal meeting on Cyprus at the end of July, building on discussions held in Geneva in March. Both parties have committed to initiatives such as opening crossing points and establishing a Technical Committee on Youth.
Guterres appointed Mara Angela Holgun Cu©llar of Colombia as his Personal Envoy on Cyprus to facilitate dialogue and advise on next steps. Holguin previously served in this role from January to July 2024. The European Commission has also appointed Johannes Hahn as Special Envoy for Cyprus to support the settlement process in collaboration with Holguin.