Christodoulides to meet Holguin ahead of November 9 trilateral talks

President Nikos Christodoulides is due to meet UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy Maria Angela Holguin on Tuesday afternoon, as preparations continue for a trilateral meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman on November 9. The meeting is scheduled for 3.15pm and follows Holguin’s talks with Erhurman on Monday. Speaking on Monday, Christodoulides said the Greek Cypriot side was awaiting responses to specific proposals it had submitted, as well as to issues discussed during his previous meeting with Holguin. Holguin, meanwhile, said she remained optimistic following her discussions with Erhurman and ahead of the planned trilateral meeting. Christodoulides had expressed his willingness to rearrange his schedule to accommodate an earlier joint meeting if Holguin considered it necessary. “I have expressed my readiness for a joint meeting of the three of us, even this afternoon or tomorrow, if necessary. If she does not consider such a meeting necessary, I told her I could also meet with her separately,” he said. Following Monday’s meeting with Erhurman, Holguin described the discussions as positive, saying: “As I said the other day in the south of Cyprus, I am optimistic. I hope I am not the only optimistic person on the island.” Holguin is also scheduled to meet delegations from the Famagusta and Morphou municipalities on Saturday, ahead of the November 9 trilateral meeting. Famagusta mayor Simos Ioannou is expected to raise the proposal for the return of fenced-off Varosha to its lawful residents under UN administration, in exchange for opening Famagusta port under EU supervision. Erhurman has previously rejected the proposal, arguing that it does not go far enough in addressing direct trade. The Personal Envoy is also working towards a possible enlarged 5+1 meeting before the end of the year, involving the two Cypriot sides, Greece, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United Nations. She said such a meeting would depend on progress on confidence-building measures, the methodology for future talks and substantive issues. Christodoulides said on Monday that such a meeting was an “entirely feasible goal”, adding that what was needed was political will.