Informal summit likely in first week of March, FM says

Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides said the tentative date of the informal five-party summit on the Cyprus Problem is the first week of March, though final decisions lay with the UN Secretary General (UNSG) Antionio Guterres and depend on coronavirus developments.

On Monday, Cyprus’ outgoing Permanent Representative to the UN and Greek Cypriot negotiator, Andreas Mavroyiannis, revealed the summit will take place at Greentree in New York.

Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency, Christodoulides said he was briefed by the UN, which said they were between two dates – both in the first week of March – for the summit. Christodoulides added that preliminary information suggests that the summit will span three days, but did not rule out the possibility of the UNSG requesting that the two sides and the three guarantor powers extend their stay.

“We’re expecting the UNSG to take final decisions, which will be relayed officially to all interested parties,” Christodoulides said.

The Foreign Minister noted that Guterres is likely standing by until the UN Security Council finalizes the process of renewing the mandate of UNFICYP before taking any final decisions.

Christodoulides said the three guarantor powers will be represented at the summit on the level of Foreign Ministers. He added that he is in contact with his UK counterpart Dominic Raab, who Christodoulides said may visit Cyprus in the upcoming period to discuss and prepare ahead of the summit.

Regarding the EU, Christodoulides said that the bloc’s Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell will be present at the summit. Borrell will also potentially pay a visit to the island ahead of the summit.

"The assessment is that there is a positive situation. We hope that this situation will lead to concrete positive results and will last,” Christodoulides said, adding that “what is certain is that for the EU, and this was clearly conveyed to me, the resolution of the Cyprus Problem is a priority."