GENEVA
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday announced that another enlargement meeting on Cyprus will be held at the end of July.
Guterres’ remarks came in a media stakeout after the informal meeting of the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot leaders, along with representatives from the three guarantor states – Türkiye, Greece, and the UK – under the auspices of the UN.
He said that discussions were held in a “constructive atmosphere, with both sides showing clear commitment to making progress and continuing dialog.”
He highlighted several trust-building initiatives agreed upon by Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Ersin Tatar and Greek Cypriot administration leader Nikos Christodoulides.
These include opening four crossing points between the two sides, the creation of a technical committee to address environmental and climate change issues, including the impact on mining areas, solar energy in the buffer zone, and the restoration of cemeteries.
Noting that the next meeting will be in the same format at the end of July, he said that he will appoint a personal envoy to prepare the next steps in the process.
“It’s a new atmosphere,” the UN chief said, adding: “It’s important to note that even before Crans-Montana (talks), and we are talking about 2017 until now, there was no real progress on any aspect, and today there was meaningful progress.”
He expressed hope that the agreed confidence-building measures and the commitment to continue the dialogue demonstrate a “sense of urgency” that is crucial for future progress.
When asked about the appointment of a new representative for Cyprus, he confirmed that he will appoint a new envoy, though the selection has not been finalized yet. He acknowledged that the prospect of appointing an envoy was uncertain before the meeting.
The attendees of the informal Geneva talks included Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis and UK Minister of State for Europe, North America and Overseas Territories Stephen Doughty.
