The informal meeting on the Cyprus issue in New York enters its second and final day today, during which UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will hold bilateral meetings with each delegation, followed by a plenary session in which the parties will discuss the way forward.
Prior to the bilateral meetings, President Christodoulides is to meet with the United Kingdom’s Minister of State for Europe, Stephen Doughty, at around 08:15 New York time (15:15 Cyprus time).
President Christodoulides’ bilateral meeting with Guterres is scheduled for 10:15 New York time (17:15 Cyprus time).
The bilateral meeting with the UN Secretary-General will also be attended by Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos, Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis, Deputy Minister for European Affairs Marilena Raouna, Greek Cypriot Negotiator Menelaos Menelaou, Permanent Representative of the Republic to the UN, Maria Michael and Director of the Diplomatic Office of the President, Doros Venezis.
The Plenary Session of the conference will follow, in which the UN Secretary-General, President Christodoulides, the Foreign Ministers of Greece and Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot leader will participate, as heads of their delegations.
The Greek Cypriot delegation at the Plenary Session will consist of President Christodoulides, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Government Spokesperson, the Deputy Minister for European Affairs, the Negotiator, and lawyer Achilles Emilianides.
A working lunch will follow.
The informal meeting in New York was agreed upon during the previous informal meeting held in Geneva last March. The two leaders had at the time agreed on initiatives to build trust between the two sides. Namely, the opening of four new crossing points, the creation of a technical committee on youth, demining, initiatives on the environment and climate change, including the impacts on mining areas, the production of solar energy in the buffer zone and the restoration of cemeteries. Guterres also announced that they had agreed to hold a further meeting, in the same format, at the end of July, and that he would appoint a personal envoy to prepare the next steps.
Last May, Guterres announced the appointment of Maria Angela Holguin as his Personal Envoy for Cyprus, tasked with reengaging with the parties to work on the next steps on the Cyprus issue and advise him.