New york: President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, is embarking on a significant diplomatic journey to New York from Athens on Saturday, where he will participate in the 81st United Nations General Assembly. During his visit, President Christodoulides will engage in discussions with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, his Personal Envoy for Cyprus, Maria Angela Holguin, and various heads of state, government, organizations, and multinational companies.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the Presidency has announced that President Christodoulides will also meet with representatives of the Cypriot diaspora. His engagements will commence on Sunday evening, September 20, with a briefing to Greek diaspora organizations on the developments concerning the Cyprus issue.
President Christodoulides is scheduled to meet with King Abdullah II of Jordan on September 21. Later that afternoon, he will participate in a Summit focusing on multilateralism, international law, peace, and prosperity, co-organized by European Council President Antonio Costa and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
On September 22, the President will attend the opening of the Plenary Session of the Summit, where the UN Secretary-General will present his Progress Report. The day will also include a meeting with Javier la Rosa, President of Chevron's Base Assets and Emerging Countries Department, followed by discussions with Maria Angela Holguin, the UN Secretary-General's Personal Envoy for Cyprus.
September 23 will see President Christodoulides address the Plenary Session of the UN General Assembly. He will also participate in a High-Level Meeting on Climate Change convened by the UN Secretary-General, where he will deliver an intervention. In the afternoon, he is set to meet with John Ardill, Vice President of ExxonMobil.
On September 24, the President will attend a working breakfast organized by the Antenna Group and the Atlantic Council, titled 'Consolidating EU-Gulf Cooperation for Regional Security and Prosperity.' This will be followed by a meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and a luncheon with the Permanent Representatives of the five Permanent Members of the UN Security Council.
The morning of September 25 will involve meetings with Han Zheng, Vice President of the People's Republic of China, and representatives of the AJC. Before departing New York, President Christodoulides will be honored at a dinner organized by Cypriot diaspora organizations.
Accompanying him on this critical diplomatic mission are Minister of Foreign Affairs Constantinos Kombos, Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis, and Greek Cypriot Negotiator Menelaos Menelaou. The President is expected to return to Cyprus on the evening of September 26.
Cyprus has faced division since 1974, following Turkey's invasion and occupation of its northern third. Despite numerous UN-led peace negotiations, resolution efforts have stalled, largely due to Turkish resistance. The last significant talks occurred in July 2017 at Crans-Montana, Switzerland, but ended without conclusion. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, nearing the end of his term, has announced plans for another broader meeting after sufficient preparation, having secured agreement from both sides and the guarantor powers. Mara Angela Holgun, Guterres' Personal Envoy on Cyprus, has been tasked with engaging the parties, while Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto serves as the European Commission's Special Representative for Cyprus.