The role of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council is essential in promoting a Cyprus solution in line with the UNSC resolutions, President Nikos Christodoulides told the permanent representatives of the five countries, namely the United States, Russia, China, France and the United Kingdom, during a working lunch, in New York, on Thursday.
In a post on social media President Christodoulides said that it was a “fruitful working lunch with the five Permanent Members of the UN Security Council.”
I informed them “about my commitment and ongoing efforts for a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus issue,” he added.
He also said that he “underlined their essential role in promoting a solution in line with UNSCRs.”
During the lunch they also “discussed regional developments and Cyprus’s role in promoting cooperation and stability in the region,” the President 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.
