Nicosia: The President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, appears cautiously optimistic about his upcoming meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhrman on April 6, Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis said on Tuesday. Speaking to journalists during a briefing at the Presidential Palace, Letymbiotis stated that the meeting between the President and the Turkish Cypriot leader will take place next Monday, April 6, at 16:30, at the residence of the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General.
According to Cyprus News Agency, this meeting is part of the ongoing efforts to resume meaningful negotiations on the Cyprus issue, based on the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council. Letymbiotis noted that the President, following his recent meeting with the UN Secretary-General in Brussels, has expressed "cautious optimism," highlighting the clear political will and specific planning on the part of the Secretary-General to advance the process.
Turning this intention into a substantive initiative requires a corresponding response from all involved parties, in order to create the conditions necessary for the resumption of talks from where they left off. Letymbiotis emphasized that the political will of the Republic is given and steadfast, with the aim of achieving meaningful progress as soon as possible through a process leading to substantive negotiations with perspective and results.
Within this framework, the decisive role of the United Nations is recognized, which, within their mandate and with the active involvement of the UN Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy, can contribute substantially to advancing developments. Letymbiotis said that the upcoming meeting is another important opportunity to determine whether this political will can be translated into concrete steps toward restarting a meaningful process.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results due to Turkish intransigence. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana, ended inconclusively. In 2025, the Secretary-General hosted two informal meetings on Cyprus, in March in Geneva and in July in New York, while a tripartite meeting with the Cyprus leaders was also held in late September, at the end of the UN General Assembly High Level Week. An informal meeting in a broader format that was expected to take place before the end of 2025 is yet to be announced. Mara Angela Holgun, the UN Secretary-General's Personal Envoy on Cyprus, is tasked to engage with the parties.