Cyprus leaders to hold broader UN talks on peace process

Cyprus President, Nikos Christodoulides, and Turkish Cypriot leader, Ersin Tatar, have agreed to have an informal meeting in a broader format in the near future, under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, to discuss the way forward and to meet in Cyprus to explore the possibility of opening new crossings, according to a UN readout issued after the informal dinner which Guterres hosted at the UN headquarters in New York with Christodoulides and Tatar on October 15 at 1900 local time.

Furthermore the readout said that Guterres encouraged Christodoulides and Tatar to consider how to bridge the gap in their positions and rebuild trust to allow movement leading to a settlement, expressing regret that despite his Personal Envoy’s efforts no common ground had been found between the leaders on the way forward on the Cyprus issue.

Furthermore it noted that the Secretary-General underlined the continued steadfast commitment of the United Nations to a peaceful resolution of the Cyprus issue, for the benefit of all Cypriots and future generations”.

According to the readout, "the Secretary-General recalled the engagement of his Personal Envoy on Cyprus, Ms. María Angela Holguín Cuéllar, who submitted her final report to him in July. He regretted that despite his Personal Envoy’s efforts and engagement with the two leaders, political actors and civil society on the island, the guarantor powers, and the broader international community, no common ground had been found between the leaders on the way forward on the Cyprus issue."

"The Secretary-General encouraged the leaders to consider how to bridge the gap in their positions and rebuild trust to allow movement leading to a settlement," it is further noted.

According to the readout, "the leaders agreed to have an informal meeting in a broader format in the near future, under the auspices of the Secretary-General, to discuss the way forward. They also agreed to meet in Cyprus to explore the possibility of opening new crossings."

"The Secretary-General underlined the continued steadfast commitment of the United Nations to a peaceful resolution of the Cyprus issue, for the benefit of all Cypriots and future generations,” the readout concluded.

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 María Ángela Holguín Cuéllar of Columbia 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.