New york: Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides is in New York for pivotal meetings with regional leaders during the 80th High-Level Week of the UN General Assembly. Today, he is scheduled to meet with the Greek Prime Minister, the President of Lebanon, and the Prime Minister of Egypt.
According to Cyprus News Agency, President Christodoulides will attend the opening session of the UN General Assembly at 16:00 Cyprus time. The session, titled ‘Better Together: 80 Years of Peace, Development and Human Rights,’ will feature addresses by prominent figures, including UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who will present his report to the Plenary.
In a series of diplomatic engagements, President Christodoulides will first meet with Egypt’s Prime Minister, Mustafa Kamal Madbouly, at 17:30. The discussions are expected to cover regional developments, bilateral relations, and issues related to energy, security, and defense. Following that, at 18:00, he will confer with the Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, to coordinate on significant national issues. Mitsotakis is also set to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan later in the day to discuss bilateral and regional matters.
At 19:30, President Christodoulides will engage with Lebanon’s President, Joseph Aoun, focusing on strengthening bilateral relations and addressing regional developments. In addition to these meetings, President Christodoulides and First Lady Philippa Karsera Christodoulides will attend a reception hosted by the US President and the First Lady for the heads of state and government at the UN General Assembly.
A statement from Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis reveals that President Christodoulides will address the Plenary on September 24th, highlighting Cyprus’s commitment to international legitimacy and the pursuit of a just and sustainable resolution to the Cyprus issue, based on UN resolutions and EU principles.
President Christodoulides’s agenda includes a bilateral meeting with the UN Secretary-General on the following day, focusing on the latest developments in the Cyprus problem under the UN framework. He will also host a luncheon for the Permanent Representatives of the five Permanent Members of the UN Security Council and meet with Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang and ExxonMobil executives.
On September 26, a meeting is scheduled with the Crown Prince of Kuwait, Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah. The following day, President Christodoulides will participate in a joint meeting with the UN Secretary-General and the Turkish Cypriot leader, a continuation of discussions from a multilateral conference in July.
Cyprus remains divided since Turkey’s invasion and occupation of its northern third in 1974. UN-led peace talks have yet to produce a resolution. Recent meetings in New York and Geneva have laid groundwork for continued dialogue, with the UN Secretary-General facilitating joint meetings during the General Assembly.
Discussions continue on issues such as crossing points and solar energy installations in Cyprus’s buffer zone. The European Commission appointed Johannes Hahn as Special Envoy for Cyprus to aid the settlement process alongside the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy, Maria Angela Holgun.
President Christodoulides’s visit underscores Cyprus’s active diplomatic efforts to resolve enduring regional challenges, with a focus on collaboration and dialogue.