Nicosia:The UN Secretary-General's Personal Envoy for Cyprus, María Ángela Holguín, met with Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhrman on Wednesday in preparation for a joint meeting scheduled for Monday with the leaders.

According to Cyprus News Agency, Holguín discussed with Erhrman the ways to continue their efforts in anticipation of the upcoming joint meeting.

Holguín also mentioned her meeting on Tuesday with the illegal ambassador of Turkey to the occupied areas of Cyprus. She clarified that she was informed by Turkey's Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs that a message was sent to her through the 'ambassador', which prompted her visit to receive the message, a fact she explained to Mr. Christodoulides.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 following Turkey's invasion and occupation of its northern third. Despite numerous UN-led peace talks, no lasting resolution has been achieved. The most recent negotiations, held in July 2017 at Crans-Montana, Switzerland, ended without a conclusion. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, nearing the end of his term, has announced plans for another meeting involving a broader format, pending adequate preparation, with consensus from both sides and the guarantor powers. Holguín is tasked with engaging the parties, while Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto serves as the European Commission's Special Representative for Cyprus, succeeding EU special envoy Johannes Hahn.