Guterres committed to joint Cyprus meeting, awaiting talks with Erdogan
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres remains committed to holding a joint meeting between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot sides on the Cyprus problem, it emerged after meeting held on Monday with President Nikos Christodoulides at the UN headquarters in New York.
Diplomatic sources talking to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA) said the scheduling of the meeting depends largely on Guterres’ upcoming meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The sources stressed that Erdogan’s stance is crucial to moving forward, as it has been recognised that the Turkish side has so far been responsible for delays in organising the meeting, either with Guterres or his special envoy, Maria Angela Holguin.
The responsibility, the sources added, lies with Turkey rather than with Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar.
The sources further stated that Guterres acknowledged the Greek Cypriot side’s willingness to restart negotiations and its efforts to create a positive atmosphere. This includes initiatives such as the conclusions of the European Council, the agreement to allow the Turkish foreign minister to participate in an informal Foreign Affairs Council meeting, 14 unilateral measures for Turkish Cypriots, and the acceptance of proposed dates for the meeting.
Christodoulides reiterated his readiness to resume negotiations from where they left off and to accept any date the UN Secretary-General deems appropriate for the joint meeting.
During Monday’s meeting, Guterres praised Cyprus and Christodoulides for their role in addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. He specifically commended Cyprus for the Amalthea initiative and its efforts in establishing a humanitarian sea corridor.
Regarding the Middle East, the President and the UN Secretary-General discussed the developments and the risk of escalation in the region, which both agreed must be avoided.
Christodoulides informed Guterres about his recent communications with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, and his meeting with Jordan’s King Abdullah earlier on Monday.
He also updated the Secretary-General on Cyprus’ preparations for activating the Estia plan if necessary, which would involve organised evacuations of EU citizens and third-country nationals through Cyprus.