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The United Nations confirmed Thursday that Cyprus’ two leaders will meet on Monday, as President Nikos Christodoulides said there could be news on efforts to restart settlement talks as early as this weekend.
U.N. envoy Maria Angela Holguin will meet Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman at 11 a.m. on Nov. 9. The meeting will take place at the U.N. head of mission’s residence inside the U.N.-protected area in Nicosia.
Christodoulides said he spoke with Holguin by phone Thursday morning and that she told him specific announcements could come over the weekend. He said he was encouraged by how the discussions were going, though some answers were still pending. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres is being kept informed, he added.
For people who regularly cross the Green Line, one immediate question is whether new crossing points might open. Asked about that possibility, Christodoulides said the discussions were broader. They also cover how renewed negotiations would be conducted, what they would address and what steps the two sides could take to build trust. He gave no timetable for opening any new crossings.
Christodoulides said he understood why Cypriots were anxious to see progress. His side, he said, continues to put forward proposals that he believes could bring the two communities back to formal talks if there is political will.
