Nicosia: The first meeting of the President of the Republic with the new leader of the Turkish Cypriot community, held a few days ago, is being positively assessed, bringing cautious optimism towards achieving the goal of resuming substantive talks, stated Minister of the Interior, Constantinos Ioannou.
According to Cyprus News Agency, Ioannou emphasized Famagusta’s significance in breaking the deadlock, highlighting that the Greek Cypriot side views Famagusta as a crucial confidence-building measure. This is contingent on Turkey implementing relevant UN Security Council Resolutions and showcasing a willingness to resolve the Cyprus issue based on European and international law.
Speaking on behalf of the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, at an event by the ‘Gerani’ Refugee Association, marking the 10th anniversary of twinning between Gerani, Ammochostos, and Gerani, Rethymno, Crete, Ioannou reiterated the readiness of the Greek Cypriot side to participate in a new meeting under the UN Secretary General. This meeting, potentially before the end of the year, would include specific proposals and a positive approach. Ioannou stressed the necessity of taking steps for substantive dialogue on important issues and confidence-building measures.
The vision, as articulated, involves transforming the Republic of Cyprus into a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality, in line with UN Resolutions and full respect for EU principles and values. Ioannou advocated for a free state devoid of occupying armies, guarantor powers, and intervention rights, envisioning a modern, reunited country offering its citizens the rights enjoyed by other Europeans.
Ioannou condemned the state of affairs being imposed by the Turkish side in Cyprus’s occupied areas, labeling it unacceptable. He detailed that the President of the Republic uses every available diplomatic channel to counter Turkish intransigence and return to dialogue, based on the framework discussed in Crans-Montana in 2017. The UN Secretary-General’s commitment to finding a solution provides encouragement to persist in the struggle for the liberation of Cyprus.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Despite multiple UN-led peace talks, efforts have not yielded results, primarily due to Turkish intransigence. The last significant negotiations in 2017 at Crans-Montana ended without resolution. In 2025, the Secretary-General hosted two informal meetings on Cyprus, one in March in Geneva and another in July in New York, with a tripartite meeting in September. An informal meeting in a broader format is anticipated later this year.
Mara Angela Holgun, the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy on Cyprus, is actively engaging with the parties. Former European Commissioner Johannes Hahn, designated as Special Envoy for Cyprus, is also expected to aid the settlement process alongside Holgun. Cyprus has remained divided since 1974, with Varosha, a fenced-off section of the Turkish-occupied town of Famagusta, referred to as a ‘ghost town.’
UN Security Council resolution 550 (1984) deems any attempts to settle Varosha by non-inhabitants as inadmissible, calling for its transfer to UN administration. Resolution 789 (1992) also suggests extending the UN Peace-keeping Force’s control to include Varosha. Despite these resolutions, in October 2020, the Turkish side opened part of Varosha, and in July 2021, Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar announced a partial lifting of its military status.
In his latest UNFICYP report, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres noted the lack of steps taken to address the Security Council’s 2024 call for reversing actions since October 2020. The EU has also expressed concern over the situation.