Nicosia:UN Secretary General's Personal Envoy for Cyprus, Maria Angela Holguin, has expressed optimism ahead of the trilateral meeting scheduled for next week. The meeting will include President of the Republic of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman.

According to Cyprus News Agency, Holguin met with Erhurman on Monday for a preparatory discussion in anticipation of the upcoming trilateral meeting. She shared her positive outlook, stating, "We talked about many subjects," and expressed hope that optimism is shared by others on the island.

The meeting between Holguin and Erhurman was described as productive, although Erhurman made no statements to the press following their discussion. Cyprus remains divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern part, with multiple UN-led peace talks failing due to Turkish intransigence.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, nearing the end of his term, has announced the intention to convene another broader meeting after sufficient preparation, although no specific timeline has been provided. María Angela Holguín is tasked with engaging the parties, while Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto serves as the European Commission's Special Representative for Cyprus.