Cyprus Leaders to Convene Under UN Guidance to Explore New Crossings and Settlement Opportunities

NICOSIA: Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar have committed to an informal meeting soon, seeking to address and potentially resolve longstanding issues under the supervision of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. This meeting, set to take place in Cyprus, will focus on the exploration of new crossing points and ways to advance toward a peaceful settlement.

According to the Cyprus News Agency, the decision came following an informal dinner hosted by Guterres at the UN headquarters in New York. During the meeting, Guterres emphasized the importance of finding common ground and rebuilding trust between the two leaders. He expressed his disappointment that his Personal Envoy, María Angela Holguín Cuéllar, had not found a consensus on the way forward despite significant efforts.

The leaders’ upcoming meeting aims to bridge their differing positions and facilitate movement toward resolving the Cyprus issue, which has seen the island divided since Turkey’s 1974 invasion
. The UN remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting a peaceful resolution that benefits all Cypriots and future generations.

The ongoing division of Cyprus has been a significant and persistent international issue. Numerous UN-led attempts to mediate a resolution have been unsuccessful, including the most recent talks in July 2017 at Crans-Montana, Switzerland, which ended without agreement. The Secretary-General’s appointment of Holguín Cuéllar as his personal envoy was a move to reinvigorate the negotiation process, focusing on engaging various stakeholders in search of a viable path forward.