Nicosia: President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides is set to meet with United Nations Under Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo, as part of her visit to Cyprus.
According to Cyprus News Agency, DiCarlo’s visit, announced by UN Secretary-General’s Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq, involves discussions with both Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders, namely Nikos Christodoulides and Ersin Tatar. The meetings aim to explore the path forward on the longstanding Cyprus issue, preparing for an informal broader-format meeting. DiCarlo’s agenda includes focusing on the good offices mission of the Secretary-General and engaging with civil society representatives, including youth and women’s groups.
Following her meetings in Cyprus, DiCarlo is scheduled to travel to Athens and Ankara for further discussions on the Cyprus issue and other significant regional and global developments. Earlier today, she met with Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, ahead of her afternoon en
gagement with the Cyprus Women Bi-Communal Coalition at Ledra Palace in the Nicosia buffer zone.
President Christodoulides previously expressed willingness to participate in a joint meeting with DiCarlo and the Turkish Cypriot leader. The backdrop to these discussions is the division of Cyprus since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied the northern part of the island. Despite numerous UN-led peace talks, a resolution remains elusive, with the last significant negotiations in 2017 ending without agreement.