New York:President Nikos Christodoulides of the Republic held discussions with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who is contemplating a trilateral meeting to advance negotiations on the Cyprus issue. The President noted that such a meeting would require a response from all parties involved.
According to Cyprus News Agency, President Christodoulides expressed satisfaction with the positive reception of new ideas he proposed regarding substance, methodology, and Confidence Building Measures. He emphasized the importance of the EU's active involvement, as discussed by Guterres with EU leaders.
A joint meeting involving the two negotiators, the UN Deputy Secretary-General, and the UN Secretary-General's Personal Envoy for Cyprus was scheduled for later in the day. President Christodoulides mentioned his willingness to extend his stay in New York to facilitate a joint meeting if necessary, acknowledging the UN Secretary-General's commitment to resume negotiations.
The President highlighted that Guterres is actively working towards convening an expanded conference and relayed discussions with the Turkish President. He indicated that a document of convergences is nearing completion and forms part of the ongoing dialogue.
Historical context includes Cyprus' division since 1974 after Turkey's invasion, with several UN-led peace efforts failing due to Turkish resistance. The last negotiations at Crans-Montana ended without resolution. Guterres, nearing the end of his term, aims to convene a broader meeting with consensus from all parties, including the guarantor powers, facilitated by his envoy Mara Angela Holgun and the EU's representative, Raffaele Fitto.