Kombos readies New York trip to make his case

Cyprus Foreign Minister, Konstantinos Kombos, will meet with the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, on July 11 in New York, Government Spokesman, Konstantinos Letymbiotis, has told CNA.

He also noted that in a letter to Antonio Guterres, President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, elaborates on his proposal for a more active involvement of the EU in efforts to lift the deadlock and resume talks for a Cyprus settlement, and the benefits that may come up from this, calling once again on the UN to appoint a special envoy.

Replying to questions, Letymbiotis said that the Foreign Minister will brief the UNSG on all the actions taken so far by Nicosia aiming to break the deadlock and resume Cyprus peace talks and that he will also discuss with him any possible next steps.

He also said that the FM will go to New York to meet with the Secretary-General, participate in the "Annual New York-Eastern Mediterranean Business Summit" on July 10 and on July 11 he will have meetings with other UN officials, as well as contacts with the Diaspora and the Jewish lobby. He may also meet with US officials.

As regards the letter that the President of the Republic has sent to the UNSG, the Spokesman said that it was a follow up to what the President and the Secretary General said during their recent telephone conversation.

He added that in his letter the President expresses once again readiness to resume negotiations, from the point where they were left off in Crans-Montana, elaborates on his proposal for a more active involvement of the EU and the benefits that may come up from this, and calls once again on the UN to appoint a special envoy.

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.