Nicosia: The UN Secretary-General's Personal Envoy for Cyprus, Maria Angela Holguin, announced that Antonio Guterres is set to arrive in Cyprus this afternoon, with the primary aim of encouraging both the people and leaders to engage in negotiations. Holguin's remarks came after her meeting with the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, at the Presidential Palace.
According to Cyprus News Agency, Holguin detailed the preparations for Guterres' visit, which is scheduled to commence on Monday. She emphasized that the Secretary-General's mission is to facilitate and inspire negotiations on the island. "The mission of the SG is to facilitate, encourage the people and the leaders to look forward for a negotiation," Holguin stated, explaining the purpose of Guterres' visit.
Holguin highlighted Guterres' longstanding support for Cyprus, noting that he has been advocating for the island for nearly a decade. She expressed hope for progress during his visit. Furthermore, Holguin shared insights from her recent travels to Brussels and Ankara, where she engaged in productive discussions on the necessary steps to move forward with the negotiations.
Expressing her optimism, Holguin mentioned her anticipation of the Secretary-General's arrival and announced her scheduled meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman on Monday morning. Cyprus has remained divided since 1974 following Turkey's invasion and occupation of its northern segment. Previous UN-led peace talks have yet to achieve a resolution, largely due to Turkish intransigence, with the last round of negotiations at Crans-Montana in July 2017 ending without conclusion.
As informal meetings resumed in 2025, preparations are underway for a broader meeting as Guterres' term as UN Secretary-General approaches its end. Holgun, in her role as Guterres' Personal Envoy on Cyprus, is actively engaging with involved parties, while Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto serves as the European Commission's Special Representative for Cyprus, succeeding EU special envoy Johannes Hahn.