Cyprus solution urgently sought before Guterres' term ends

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Constantinos Kombos, revealed that the UN Secretary-General aims to launch a fresh initiative to resolve the Cyprus problem before his term concludes. This initiative would involve the appointment of a new envoy.

In an interview with the "Kathimerini" newspaper, Dr. Kombos shared that Antonio Guterres communicated his intention to reinvigorate efforts concerning Cyprus during their private meeting in New York the previous month.

Kombos conveyed that Guterres plans to designate an envoy to recommence talks, contingent upon a clarification of Ankara's intentions.

The Minister underscored that the messages from Turkish President Tayip Erdogan have remained ambiguous, lacking any indications of Turkey's willingness to engage. He also voiced concerns regarding recent developments in the occupied territories, adding that preparations for a package of countermeasures are underway.

He observed that Cyprus's diplomatic efforts within the EU sphere are influencing Guterres to deduce that the circumstances are conducive to reopening negotiations.

Since 1974, Cyprus has remained divided following the invasion and occupation of the northern third of the island by Turkish troops. Despite multiple rounds of UN-led peace talks, tangible results have remained elusive. The most recent negotiations in July 2017, hosted at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana, concluded without a clear resolution.