Cuellar receives London's assurance on Cyprus problem

UN Secretary-General's personal envoy on Cyprus, María Angela Holguín Cuéllar, received reassurances by UK officials during her contacts in London on Thursday, that they will support her mandate to search for common ground on the Cyprus issue, according to a statement by the British High Commission in Nicosia on Friday.

Holguin was received on Thursday by UK Minister for Europe, Leo Docherty, and Minister of State for the United Nations, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon.

The envoy’s visit formed part of her engagement with all guarantor powers “as she consults key partners on the way forward,” it said.

“Both Ministers reiterated their support for her mandate to search for common ground on the Cyprus issue,” it adds. The Ministers, it notes, “appreciated” hearing Holguín’s initial thoughts on the situation in Cyprus, following her recent visit to the island last month. “The visit also provided the opportunity to discuss observations from previous settlement talks,” the statement said.

The UK hopes that Holguín "can work with the leadership of both the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities to enable the resumption of negotiations on the Cyprus issue,” the High Commission said. The UK, it adds, is a strong supporter of a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement to the Cyprus issue, through a Cypriot-led process under UN parameters.

“We will continue to work closely with all Cypriots and other international partners, through existing structures and diplomatic channels, including in our role as penholder on Cyprus in the United Nations Security Council”, the statement concludes.

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. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres appointed Holguín as his personal envoy for Cyprus, to assume a Good Offices role on his behalf and search for common ground on the way forward in the Cyprus issue.