Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot political parties have expressed, in a joint communiqué, disappointment over the outcome of the informal meeting in New York on Monday between the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, Cyprus President, Nicos Anastasiades, and Turkish Cypriot leader, Ersin Tatar.
According to the joint communiqué issued by the Embassy of Slovakia, “leaders and representatives of G/C and T/C political parties participating at the bi-communal meetings at the Ledra Palace Hotel met today through the video teleconference in order to discuss the outcome from the informal meeting of leaders of both Cypriot communities hosted by UN Secretary-General in New York last Monday.”
It is noted that “they expressed disappointment with the fact that the meeting did not provide any result for the resumption of negotiations on agreed basis.”
Moreover, participants welcomed the perspective that the UN Secretary-General will appoint a new special envoy dealing with the possibility of finding a common ground to resume the political dialogue towards the reunification of Cyprus as well as to discuss with both communities confidence-building measures aiming at the strengthening the trust among them.
The next meeting of the leaders and the representatives of the political parties will be held in the second half of October according to the epidemiological situation on the island.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory. Numerous UN backed talks to reunite the island have failed to yield results.