George Kakouris
With uncertainty over whether this marks a genuine attempt at restarting talks or merely an effort to keep the prospect of reunification alive, President Nikos Christodoulides arrived in Geneva last night for the informal expanded conference. He is accompanied by ministers and a large team of advisors, while Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar is set to arrive around noon today with his own delegation and political leaders.
National Council and Key Meetings
For the Greek Cypriot side, today begins with a National Council meeting at 12 p.m. Cyprus time (11 a.m. local time), followed by an informal dinner at 8 p.m. (7 p.m. local time). As announced last night, the President will reconvene the National Council immediately after the dinner to assess developments.
Four years after the first Geneva talks, where Tatar introduced the concept of "sovereign equality" and pushed for a two-state solution, and eight years after the Crans-Montana negotiations, key questions remain: What are the UN's objectives, and what outcome does it hope to achieve? The UN Secretary-General has planned a series of bilateral meetings with both leaders and guarantor powers, including Turkey and Greece.
Expectations remain low, with little to no chance of an immediate announcement on resuming negotiations—barring unexpected developments. Instead, the more likely scenario is the continuation of diplomatic efforts through a roadmap involving confidence-building measures or Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs), similar to those discussed with the UN Secretary-General in New York last October. These efforts may extend until the next Turkish Cypriot leadership elections, which could bring a shift in political dynamics in occupied Nicosia.
Guarantor Powers and EU Representation
Turkey and Greece will be represented in Geneva by their Foreign Ministers, Hakan Fidan and George Gerapetritis, respectively, while the UK will send its Minister for Europe, Stephen Doughty.
Although the EU is not officially participating in the informal meeting, it is expected to have a presence. However, it remains unclear whether the European representative will be Commission Vice-President Raffaele Fitto, responsible for cohesion funds and reunification support programs, or another EU official.
Dinner Kicks Off the Talks
The informal expanded conference on the Cyprus issue will begin with a dinner at the Intercontinental Hotel at 8 p.m. Cyprus time (7 p.m. local time). UN Secretary-General António Guterres will host the gathering, bringing together the key stakeholders: Christodoulides, Tatar, Fidan, Gerapetritis, and Doughty, along with one advisor from each side.
President Christodoulides will be joined by Greek Cypriot negotiator Menelaos Menelaou, while Tatar will have his special advisor, Günesh Onar, at his side. This dinner will serve as the first opportunity for all sides to present their positions and exchange views before formal bilateral discussions begin.
The President will consult with National Council members both before and immediately after the dinner. Notably, nearly all political leaders in the National Council—except ELAM—have traveled to Geneva, along with former President Nicos Anastasiades.
Bilateral Meetings and Plenary Session
On Tuesday, talks will begin at 10:20 a.m. (9:20 a.m. local time) with a series of brief bilateral meetings between the UN Secretary-General and each delegation at the Intercontinental Hotel. Each meeting will involve the leader plus five advisors and is expected to conclude by noon (11 a.m. local time).
Reports suggest the sequence will start with the British Deputy Minister, followed by the Greek Foreign Minister, then the Turkish Cypriot leader, and finally, the Turkish Foreign Minister. The last meeting will be with President Christodoulides, representing the Greek Cypriot side.
During his bilateral meeting with Guterres, President Christodoulides will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Konstantinos Kombos, Deputy Minister for EU Affairs Marilena Raouna, Government Spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis, National Security Advisor Tasos Tzionis, and negotiator Menelaos Menelaou.
The plenary session will begin at 1 p.m. (12 p.m. local time) at the Palace of Nations, the UN headquarters in Geneva, and is expected to last until 4 p.m. (3 p.m. local time). Each delegation will make an opening statement outlining its position, followed by discussions.
In addition to the delegation heads, five advisors will be present. On the Greek Cypriot side, Menelaou, Letymbiotis, and Raouna will be joined by legal experts Achilleas Emilianides and Mary-Ann Stavrinidou.
As the Geneva talks unfold, all eyes will be on whether this marks the beginning of a meaningful process—or yet another diplomatic stalemate.
