New york: The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, expressed the EU’s commitment to the reunification of Cyprus, ahead of the plenary session in the informal meeting on the Cyprus issue in New York.
According to Cyprus News Agency, Von der Leyen noted in a post on X that the EU remains committed to the reunification of Cyprus, aligning with UN Security Council resolutions and EU principles and legislation. She emphasized EU support for the UN Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy in resuming negotiations, asserting that the EU has a significant role to play.
Von der Leyen stated that the EU is ready to contribute and increase efforts to support the UN-led process, mentioning the active engagement of its Special Envoy, Johannes Hahn. Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. UN-led peace talks have consistently failed due to Turkish intransigence, with the latest negotiations in July 2017 at Crans-Montana ending inconclusively.
The UN Secretary-General announced an informal meeting on Cyprus at the end of July, following a similar meeting in Geneva in March. The parties agreed to initiatives involving crossing points, a Technical Committee on Youth, and other measures in the buffer zone and throughout the island.
The informal New York meeting was agreed upon during a previous meeting held in Geneva last March. The two leaders had agreed on initiatives to build trust, including opening four new crossing points, creating a technical committee on youth, demining, and environmental initiatives. UN Secretary-General Guterres also announced a further meeting at the end of July and appointed a personal envoy to prepare the next steps.
In May, Guterres appointed Maria Angela Holguin as his Personal Envoy for Cyprus to reengage with the parties and advise on the next steps for the Cyprus issue.