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U.N. envoy Maria Angela Holguin is expected in Cyprus on Thursday as President Nikos Christodoulides presses for progress on Varosha, the fenced-off quarter of Famagusta, as a first step toward a settlement of the island’s decades-old division.
Her arrival comes ahead of a meeting scheduled for Nov. 9 with Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman. The United Nations announced the visit and three-way meeting last week as part of efforts to prepare the ground for renewed negotiations.
Christodoulides has placed particular emphasis on Varosha, describing it as the most important confidence-building measure and the strongest indication of whether there is a genuine willingness to reunify Cyprus.
Speaking Tuesday evening at an Anorthosis Famagusta event in Larnaca, he said the future of the fenced-off area remained central to his efforts.
“I truly believe … that it constitutes the most important confidence-building measure,” he said, calling it a test of commitment to a solution.
“This is why the issue is being discussed and our efforts are continuing,” he added.
Once a busy seaside district, Varosha became a symbol of displacement after its residents fled during Turkey’s 1974 invasion. Much of the area remained fenced off for decades, earning it the description of a “ghost town.”
Its significance goes beyond symbolism. U.N. Security Council Resolution 550 calls for the area to be placed under U.N. administration and considers attempts to settle it with anyone other than its inhabitants unacceptable. Resolution 789 also calls for the area controlled by U.N. peacekeepers to be extended to include Varosha.
The Turkish side opened part of the fenced-off area to visitors in 2020, prompting repeated U.N. calls for the move to be reversed and expressions of concern from the European Union.
Christodoulides’ remarks set out what he sees as a meaningful first step toward rebuilding trust. However, the information announced ahead of Holguin’s visit does not establish whether any agreement on Varosha is within reach.
The president also called for domestic unity while respecting differences over how to approach the Cyprus issue. Despite the obstacles, he said, the government remained committed to restarting negotiations with perseverance, a clear plan and a strategy.
Holguin’s task is to engage the parties and help prepare a broader meeting that U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres has said he intends to convene. No date has been announced for that gathering, although both sides and the guarantor powers have agreed to the initiative.
