Nicosia: President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, expressed both optimism and political will as he left the Presidential Palace on Monday to meet with Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhrman. Accompanied by Greek Cypriot negotiator Menelaos Menelaou, Christodoulides emphasized his readiness to engage in discussions aimed at addressing the Cyprus issue.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the meeting is scheduled to take place at the residence of UNSG Special Representative Khassim Diagne in the UN Protected Area in Nicosia. The UN in Cyprus shared images on X, showing Diagne welcoming the leaders separately and another of them seated together inside the venue.
In his departure remarks, Christodoulides stressed his commitment to exploring every opportunity to foster hope. He framed the meeting as a continuation of his earlier discussions with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Brussels, describing them as constructive and encouraging for future negotiations. Christodoulides expressed his willingness to discuss any topics that Erhrman might wish to raise.
When questioned about the content of Erhrman's meeting with the UN Secretary-General in New York, Christodoulides noted that the UN had briefed Erhrman on the essence of his Brussels discussion. He reiterated his determination to create hope, acknowledging the challenges but emphasizing that the status quo is unsustainable.
Cyprus has remained divided since 1974 following Turkey's invasion and occupation of its northern third. Despite numerous UN-led peace talks, a resolution has yet to be achieved, with the last negotiations in 2017 at Crans-Montana ending without agreement.
In 2025, the UN Secretary-General organized informal meetings on Cyprus in Geneva and New York, and a tripartite session with Cyprus leaders concluded the UN General Assembly High-Level Week in September. Another informal meeting, anticipated to occur before the end of 2025, has not been scheduled. Mara Angela Holgun, the UN Secretary-General's Personal Envoy on Cyprus, continues to facilitate engagement between the parties.