We seek that the informal meeting in New York will serve as a springboard for the resumption of substantive negotiations on the Cyprus issue from the point where they have been interrupted, Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis said on Monday. We are approaching this prepared meeting, fully aware of the responsibility we bear and with a sincere political will to effectively contribute to the UN efforts, he said.
In his statements at the Presidential Palace, the Spokesperson said that President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, will depart on Tuesday, July 15, at noon for New York, where, following the invitation of the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, he will participate in the informal meeting on Cyprus in a broader format, which will take place on July 16 and 17.
“We are approaching this multilateral meeting prepared, fully aware of the responsibility we bear and with a sincere political will to effectively contribute to the UN efforts, Letymbiotis said. He added that “with a constructive attitude, taking initiatives and submitting specific proposals, our pursuit is for this meeting to be a springboard for the resumption of substantive negotiations on the basis of the agreed framework for a solution and the relevant Security Council resolutions.”
He noted that the Republic of Cyprus “remains firmly oriented towards achieving a viable solution on the basis of a bizonal, bicommunal federation, as defined by the resolutions of the UN Security Council, the European acquis and the principles and values of the EU.”
Referring to the Greek Cypriot side’s “consistency and commitment to the principles of international legality, our readiness to contribute in a positive and constructive manner and the sincere political will with which we approach the process”, Letymbiotis said “we will make every effort to support the efforts of the UN Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy”.
Referring to the programme of the meeting, Letymbiotis said that on Wednesday, July 16, at 19:00 New York time (02:00 Cyprus time) the President of the Republic is to attend a dinner hosted by the UN Secretary-General for the participants, which will take place at the UN headquarters in New York. The dinner, he noted, constitutes the first part of the informal meeting.
On Thursday, July 17, at 10:25 New York time (17:25 Cyprus time), at the UN building, President Christodoulides is to have a bilateral meeting with the Secretary-General, who is to also hold bilateral meetings with the other participants in the informal meeting, according to the Spokesperson.
At 11:30 (18:30 Cyprus time), the Plenary of the informal meeting will begin at the United Nations headquarters, with opening statements by the parties, followed by a discussion. Afterwards, at 13:30 (20:30 Cyprus time), the heads of delegations, accompanied by another member of the delegation, will participate in a working lunch.
After the working lunch, the final leg of the Plenary will take place, which is expected to conclude at 16:45 (23:45 Cyprus time).
President Christodoulides will depart from New York the same evening.
According to the Spokesperson, the President will be accompanied by Attorney General George Savvides, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Constantinos Kompos, the Government Spokesperson, Deputy Minister for European Affairs, Marilena Raouna, Negotiator of the Greek Cypriot side, Menelaos Menelaou, Director of the Press Office of the President, Victoras Papadopoulos, Director of the Diplomatic Office of the President, Doros Venezis, as well as Achilleas Emilianides, Vassilis Protopapas, and other officials.
Asked whether the EU would be represented at the meeting, the Spokesperson said that “the issue of invitations and who will attend is a matter for the UN Secretary-General”. Our approach and position, he added, “is that the presence of the EU would be a very positive and very constructive element”. He referred to the Conclusions of the European Council on the interconnection of EU-Turkey relations with the Cyprus issue. The final decision on the invitation lies with the UN Secretary-General, he said, adding that “Turkey’s position on this issue is certainly also known”.
He clarified that “based on what we know is that the EU will not be among the participants”. “Our position, however, is known, as is the position of the EU at the highest level”, he said, recalling the joint letter of the Presidents of the European Commission and the European Council to the UN Secretary-General during the previous informal meeting on Cyprus in a broader format, held last March in Geneva.
To another question, the Spokesperson replied that “particularly after the appointment of Johannes Hahn as the EU Special Envoy for the Cyprus issue, “we see a more active involvement of the EU in the UN Secretary-General’s efforts and we will repeat what we have said, that both through the statements of Mr. Erdogan and Mr. Fidan, it appears that Turkey ranks Euro-Turkish relations very high in its priorities”.
Asked whether there was a prospect of discussing substantive issues in New York or whether the discussion would be limited to confidence-building measures, the Spokesperson said that the Greek Cypriot side will not participate at the meeting, “with low expectations or without having the discussion on the substance at the core of our aspirations”. “We come to this informal meeting with the aim of having a discussion on the substance”, he said, noting that the composition of this meeting is suitable for discussion on the substance.
He also said that confidence-building measures or discussions on them cannot replace or substitute the discussion on the substance. “What we are seeking is for the multilateral conference in New York to be a springboard towards the resumption of substantive negotiations on the Cyprus issue from the point where they have been interrupted,” he said.
Asked to comment on the extent to which the Government was concerned about Britain’s stance, the Spokesperson said that “the United Kingdom, as a Permanent Member of the UN Security Council, as the penholder on the Cyprus issue at the UN, but also through many positions and official statements in recent times and beyond, is absolutely committed to the agreed basis for a solution for a bizonal bicommunal federation, as precisely defined by the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.”
He recalled the principled stance taken by the United Kingdom at the last informal meeting, “where it reiterated its commitment to this UN framework and the many recent statements by the UK Foreign Secretary and the Prime Minister himself.” Under Starmer’s premiership, the Spokesperson said, “we see that Cyprus-UK bilateral relations have been strengthened even further,” noting that, in just ten months, Starmer has had three meetings with the President of the Republic.
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.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres announced that an informal meeting on Cyprus in a broader format would be held this month, following a similar meeting in Geneva, on March 17-18. The two sides agreed to proceed with a number of initiatives, involving the opening of crossing points, the creation of a Technical Committee on Youth and other initiatives in the buffer zone and throughout the island. The meeting is taking place on July 16-17.
Guterres announced in early May the appointment of María Angela Holguín Cuéllar of Colombia as his Personal Envoy on Cyprus, who is tasked to reengage with the parties in order to work on next steps on the Cyprus issue and advise him. Holguín completed a previous assignment as Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General on Cyprus from January to July 2024.
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.