George Kakouris
The five-party informal meeting on the Cyprus issue in Geneva on March 17–18 yielded one notable achievement: no setbacks. That seemed to be the consensus among all parties as they exited the Palace of Nations on Tuesday afternoon.
Despite differences, participants agreed to revisit Confidence-Building Measures (CBMs) initially proposed in October, with the UN describing them as "initiatives." There was also consensus on holding another informal meeting at the end of July and appointing a personal envoy—despite initial resistance from Turkish Cypriot (TC) leader Ersin Tatar.
A Win for the Greek Cypriot Side
Crucially for the Greek Cypriot (G/C) side, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres did not mention a lack of common ground—a phrase he had used after the informal trilateral meeting in New York last October. This omission was significant, as the Turkish Cypriot side had repeatedly pushed that narrative. Guterres’ approach aligned with his broader aim of projecting positive signals on the Cyprus issue in an increasingly complex international landscape.
During the plenary session, attended by President Nikos Christodoulides, Tatar, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis, and British Secretary of State for European Affairs Stephen Doughty, the two Cypriot leaders were invited to present CBMs. Guterres considered some of them suitable for discussion and made them public.
Tatar’s Unilateral Move
Tatar proposed the creation of a "Cyprus Cooperation Council" to oversee cooperation between the two sides—a move seen as an attempt to group his existing proposals under a new umbrella, still based on the concept of two recognized states. Christodoulides promptly rejected it as falling outside the framework of a viable solution. Nevertheless, Tatar can still claim that he defended the two-state position. In a telling moment, just before Guterres' official remarks, Tatar rushed to the statement area, eager to position himself ahead of the Secretary-General’s comments on continuing the effort.
Turkey’s Role and the EU’s Presence
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan adopted a measured tone, avoiding the confrontational approach of previous Turkish officials—such as former Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, who often engaged in public spats with the Greek side. Fidan’s constructive stance helped secure agreement on appointing a personal envoy, despite Tatar’s objections.
Tatar’s resistance became evident just before the final break, momentarily causing concern among envoys as it created the impression that discussions had collapsed. However, the meeting proceeded without further disruption.
Monday’s dinner played a role in setting a constructive atmosphere, particularly the one-on-one, 15-minute discussion between Fidan and Christodoulides. The Greek Cypriot side also welcomed a joint letter from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa to Guterres. The letter reaffirmed the EU’s position on a solution and the role Brussels is prepared to play—a largely symbolic but politically significant move aimed at sending a message to Ankara.
Guterres was expected to meet von der Leyen and Costa for an informal dinner in Brussels later Tuesday, ahead of Thursday’s European Council meeting, where he was likely to address the Cyprus issue within the broader context of multilateral diplomacy.
Guterres’ Three Key Takeaways
Following Monday’s dinner, which was officially described as a social gathering but still touched on international developments affecting Cyprus, Tuesday’s discussions were more substantive.
Although there was no detailed disclosure of bilateral meetings with Guterres, it was clear that he based the plenary session on three key points:
- The feasibility of advancing CBMs
- Setting a date for the next informal session
- Appointing an envoy to coordinate future steps
- CBMs Rebranded as "Initiatives"
On CBMs, the Greek Cypriot side insisted that the proposals deemed acceptable by Guterres originated from President Christodoulides. In contrast, Tatar’s proposals reportedly carried less weight. To sidestep references to a formal negotiation process, Guterres rebranded the CBMs as "initiatives."
One area of contention was the opening of new crossing points. Tatar initially suggested opening the Mia Milia crossing, while Christodoulides countered with a broader discussion covering four crossings mentioned in the New York meeting: Mia Milia, Pyroi/Athienou, Kokkina, and Louroujina. This did not translate into an agreement to open them but rather to continue discussions.
A proposal to establish a youth committee resurfaced, which Tatar opposed, instead favoring quotas for young people. The Greek Cypriot side pointed out that youth and women are already represented in technical committees, leading Guterres to note the initiative for future consideration.
Other Greek Cypriot proposals included forming a civil society advisory committee and a truth commission on missing persons. Tatar rejected both but indicated that the latter might be considered after a comprehensive solution.
There was, however, agreement on environmental initiatives, such as assessing the impact of mining activities and maintaining cemeteries on both sides.
Sovereignty and Cooperation
Tatar put forward proposals for cooperation on hydrocarbons and water management, both of which the Greek Cypriot side rejected as sovereignty issues. Similarly, they dismissed Tatar’s proposal for an electricity agreement, arguing that existing arrangements suffice. Suggestions on banking and tourism cooperation were also turned down, as the former is regulated by the European Central Bank and the latter is already facilitated through existing frameworks.
The Road Ahead
While the Geneva meeting did not mark a breakthrough, it also avoided setbacks—an achievement in itself, given the complexity of the Cyprus issue. The commitment to another informal session in July and the appointment of a personal envoy suggest that, despite deep divides, dialogue remains on the table. In a diplomatic landscape where even maintaining the status quo is a challenge, that alone is a small but significant step forward.
*This article was translated from its Greek original
