All eyes are on today’s joint meeting between United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides, and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman, as the international community awaits the outcomes of the UN chief’s visit to Cyprus.
Read also: Cyprus issue: Christodoulides expresses cautious optimism after dinner with Guterres and Erhürman
Following the initial meetings held yesterday, Nicosia has emerged satisfied and “emboldened” by the stance taken by António Guterres. As credible sources told parapolitika.gr, “it is significant for us that the Secretary-General appears determined to operate within the agreed framework — that of UN resolutions and the mandates stemming from the UN Security Council.” This signals that Guterres is unwilling to pursue a middle-ground compromise on the core political dispute between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.
President Nikos Christodoulides echoed this satisfaction in his statement upon arriving at last night’s dinner hosted by Guterres for both leaders: “The only thing I want to say is to express the hope that tonight’s discussion will be as productive as the one we had this morning with the UN Secretary-General,” he said.
Cyprus talks: today’s trilateral meeting between Christodoulides, Guterres and Erhürman
All available information converges on the same conclusion: António Guterres’ primary goal is to hand over — and if possible, formally commit — his successor at the UN to a framework of core agreements that could lead to a tangible resolution of the Cyprus issue within a defined timeframe.
Toward this end, and following today’s trilateral talks between Guterres, Christodoulides and Erhürman, Guterres is expected to announce the convening of an expanded conference involving Greece, Turkey, the United Kingdom, Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, and the UN — where decisive decisions on the Cyprus question will be taken, in line with the plans of Guterres and his envoy Olguín. However, “the date has not been locked in yet,” government sources from the Republic of Cyprus told parapolitika.gr, as Turkey has not yet shown its hand.
Expanded conference with Greece and Turkey expected in September
Nevertheless, Cypriot diplomatic sources speaking to parapolitika.gr indicate that Guterres’ plans point to holding the expanded conference during the summer. If that proves unfeasible, it is considered likely to take place in September on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
According to the same sources, if the expanded conference does go ahead, meaningful progress will have already been achieved on key issues — progress significant enough to steer Guterres’ successor toward a clear and defined path for resolving the Cyprus problem.
Key messages from Guterres’ visit to Cyprus
During yesterday’s initial talks, the UN chief operated along three main axes. He reaffirmed his strong commitment to steering the process toward a definitive solution; he placed the primary responsibility for the resolution process squarely on the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots themselves; and he placed particular emphasis on the role he expects the guarantor powers to play — especially Turkey, which appears unwilling to shift from its current positions.
The picture painted by the Turkish press regarding developments in Cyprus is that Guterres’ visit will not bring any change to Ankara’s stance, which remains firmly in favor of a two-state solution. As the Turkish newspaper Sabah reports, both Ankara and the Turkish Cypriot side are entering the talks with a clear and unified position in support of a two-state outcome.
For his part, Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides reiterated the Greek Cypriot position following his meeting with Guterres — namely, that any resolution of the Cyprus issue must be based on UN Security Council resolutions. “We need good news in Cyprus. We need good news in the region. We need good news at the international level, and we count on your support and your political commitment, especially during this very difficult period internationally, where we are also witnessing actions by certain actors that undermine the international system established after World War II,” he stated after his morning meeting with Guterres.
Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman expressed his support for the UN Secretary-General’s mediation efforts, stating that the Turkish Cypriot side will continue to contribute constructively to the process. “Unlike the experiences of 2004 and 2017, this time we are working on a new and realistic methodology that will help us achieve our common goal,” he said.
Shortly before departing Nicosia today, the UN Secretary-General is expected to lay out his position clearly and reveal the direction of his final initiatives before leaving office.
