UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy on Cyprus, Maria Angela Holguín, said Monday that she would continue working and have hope for the resumption of the Cyprus talks.
In statements after a meeting she held with Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, she said that they talked about the process, the next meeting with the UN Secretary General in a couple of weeks.
This is why I came here, she said, “to prepare, to report to the UNSG how things are.” She added that they also talked about the Committees and their importance, “the importance of trying to put people together for the future and this is what the Committees are doing and doing very well”.
Holguin said that tomorrow she will meet with the Youth Committee “that both leaders are supporting very strongly and I think this is a very positive thing.” She also said she would have some more meetings, including with the chamber of commerce, separate meetings with the negotiators of the two sides and visit the cemeteries to see the work being done.
“I will report to the UNSG for the meeting and continue working and have hope for the resumption of the talks”, she concluded.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results due to Turkish intransigence. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.
A second informal meeting on Cyprus in broader format was held in New York, on July 16-17, 2025 following a first one in March in Geneva. Another meeting is anticipated later this year, to follow up on initiatives, agreed by the parties, which the UN Secretary-General António Guterres said they demonstrate a commitment to continuing a dialogue on the way forward. Guterres also announced that he would meet jointly with Cyprus leaders during the General Assembly high-level week, in September.
The two sides in Cyprus continue discussions on outstanding issues, including the opening of crossing points and a solar energy installation in the buffer zone. They also agreed to cooperate on a number of issues, including the exchange of cultural artifacts, while Maria Angela Holguín, the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy on Cyprus, will continue her efforts.
The European Commission designated Johannes Hahn, a former European Commissioner, as Special Envoy for Cyprus to contribute to the settlement process, in close cooperation with Holguín.
