Nicosia: The UK Government has expressed its support for United Nations Secretary-General Ant³nio Guterres' intention to convene a new round of expanded talks on the Cyprus issue, in a statement to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA).
According to Cyprus News Agency, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) spokesperson, responding to a CNA query following Guterres' visit to Cyprus, stated that London "welcomes his intention to convene a further round of expanded meetings on the Cyprus issue once the necessary conditions have been met."
The UK Government reaffirmed its longstanding position in support of a UN-led settlement process, emphasizing its role as a Guarantor Power and commitment to fully support the UN-led process, as well as the work of the Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy.
The FCDO spokesperson further mentioned that the United Kingdom remains dedicated to working towards "a comprehensive and lasting settlement for all Cypriots."
This statement aligns with Ant³nio Guterres' recent remarks during his visit to Cyprus, where he announced plans for a new expanded 5+1 meeting, contingent upon the establishment of appropriate conditions to resume the peace process.
A British diplomat informed CNA that London's reference to the 'necessary conditions' aligns with the UN's stance that any new informal multilateral meeting should be preceded by adequate preparation and held under circumstances conducive to meaningful negotiation progress.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974 following Turkey's invasion and occupation of its northern third, with previous UN-led peace talks failing to produce results due to Turkish obstruction. The last round of negotiations, held in July 2017 at Crans-Montana, Switzerland, ended without resolution.
With his term nearing its end, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced plans to convene another meeting in a broader format after sufficient preparation, though no timeline has been provided. He has secured consensus from all involved parties and guarantor powers. Mara Angela Holgun, Guterres' Personal Envoy on Cyprus, is tasked with engaging the parties, while Raffaele Fitto serves as the European Commission's Special Representative for Cyprus, succeeding Johannes Hahn.