Nicosia: President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides expressed hope for positive developments on Wednesday, following a dinner with UN Secretary-General Ant³nio Guterres and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhrman in Nicosia. The President emphasized that resolving the Cyprus issue remains the only viable path forward.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the dinner, held at the residence of Guterres' special representative in Cyprus within the UN Buffer zone at Nicosia airport, was described by Christodoulides as a 'good, open and sincere discussion.' The talks covered various aspects including the substance of the Cyprus problem, methodology, potential convergences, and confidence-building measures.
President Christodoulides expressed satisfaction with Guterres' commitment, noting that the Secretary-General reiterated his political dedication to the process. Despite acknowledging differing approaches on some issues, Christodoulides noted that the discussion was frank and comprehensive, aiming for concrete announcements in the upcoming talks.
The President remained optimistic, stating that the discussions extended beyond confidence-building measures, covering all facets of the Cyprus issue. He emphasized the goal of achieving announcements on these matters and highlighted Guterres' clear intentions in the ongoing efforts.
In addition, Christodoulides pointed to increased international engagement, with the EU's Special Representative for Cyprus, Raffaele Fitto, expected to visit Cyprus soon. This combined international effort seeks to restart negotiations from their last point in 2017, with the President expressing readiness to move forward swiftly.
Reflecting on his tenure since March 2023, Christodoulides noted significant progress in international interest and engagement in the Cyprus issue. He affirmed that there is no alternative to resolving the matter, expressing readiness to hear positive outcomes from the Secretary-General.
Guterres is scheduled to meet with both leaders at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, followed by a press conference. Cyprus has remained divided since 1974, and previous UN-led peace talks have not produced results. Recent informal meetings in 2025 have set the stage for a broader format meeting as Guterres' term nears its end, with Mara Angela Holgun and Raffaele Fitto playing key roles in the ongoing dialogue.