Nice: In a meeting in Nice, on the sidelines of the UN Ocean Conference, President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres discussed the agenda for the upcoming meeting on Cyprus in a broader format in New York, emphasizing their shared will for a successful outcome, as well as their efforts toward restarting negotiations.
According to Cyprus News Agency, in a written statement, the Director of the President’s Press Office, Victoras Papadopoulos, said that President Christodoulides met in Nice with UN Secretary-General Ant³nio Guterres. During the meeting, the President and the UN Secretary-General discussed developments concerning the upcoming expanded conference under the UN auspices in New York on the Cyprus issue.
They also highlighted the mutual desire of both Guterres and the President of the Republic for the successful conclusion of the new meeting on Cyprus in a broader format in New York, along with their efforts aimed at resuming negotiations.
During his conversation with Guterres, President Christodoulides was briefed on the recent contacts of his personal envoy, Maria Angela Holguin in Turkey, the press release added.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results due to Turkish intransigence. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.
UN Secretary General announced that an informal meeting on Cyprus in a broader format will be held at the end of July, following a similar meeting in Geneva, on March 17-18. The two sides agreed to proceed with a number of initiatives, involving the opening of crossing points, the creation of a Technical Committee on Youth and other initiatives in the buffer zone and throughout the island.
The UN Secretary-General Ant³nio Guterres announced in early May the appointment of Mara Angela Holgun Cu©llar of Colombia as his Personal Envoy on Cyprus, who is tasked to reengage with the parties in order to work on next steps on the Cyprus issue and advise him. Holgun completed a previous assignment as Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General on Cyprus from January to July 2024.
The European Commission designated Johannes Hahn, a former European Commissioner, as Special Envoy for Cyprus to contribute to the settlement process, in close cooperation with Holguin.