Nicosia: President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides is attending a meeting on Wednesday in the UN-administered buffer zone, in Nicosia, with Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman with a five-point proposal, to be discussed in the presence of the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General Maria Angela Holguin.
According to Cyprus News Agency, President Christodoulides outlined that the proposal focuses on the core substance of the Cyprus issue while integrating Confidence-Building Measures (CBMs). He emphasized the potential for resuming substantial talks that were left off in Crans-Montana, provided there is political will and acceptance of the proposal.
Addressing queries about the proposal's alignment with the Turkish Cypriot leader's methodology, President Christodoulides mentioned that the four issues previously raised by Erhurman have been addressed from the beginning. He highlighted the Greek Cypriot side's desire to resume negotiations from their last point, ensuring the continuity of previous discussions.
On the matter of a timeline for negotiations, President Christodoulides pointed out that acceptance of the convergences would solve most of the problem, estimating a resolution of 80% to 90%. He questioned the feasibility of setting timelines without these convergences.
President Christodoulides also dismissed the notion of predetermined consequences, asserting that it is not recognized by any party, including the international community, and emphasizing existing United Nations resolutions that have yet to be implemented. He confirmed that political equality was resolved at the previous meeting through a joint statement.
He concluded by expressing optimism as he approached the meeting with a positive attitude and specific five-point proposal, hoping for a favorable outcome.
Cyprus remains divided following Turkey's invasion and occupation of its northern third in 1974. Despite numerous UN-led peace negotiations, a resolution has remained elusive due to persistent disagreements. The most recent negotiations in 2017 at Crans-Montana ended without success.
In 2025, the UN Secretary-General hosted informal meetings on Cyprus in Geneva and New York, with a tripartite meeting occurring in September during the UN General Assembly High Level Week. An anticipated broader informal meeting has yet to be scheduled.
Maria Angela Holguin, the UN Secretary-General's Personal Envoy on Cyprus, continues to engage with the parties, while Johannes Hahn, a former European Commissioner, is also expected to assist in the settlement process alongside Holgun.