Cyprus talks move towards new meeting with Guterres, government says

Monday’s meeting between President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman has paved the way for a new joint meeting with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, with the methodology and substance of the Cyprus problem now being discussed, government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said on Tuesday. “The effort is gaining continuity, concrete content and stronger prospects,” he said one day after their meeting with UN envoy Maria Angela Holguin, stressing that this was not merely an aspiration of the Greek Cypriot side but was explicitly reflected in the UN’s joint statement following the meeting. “Of particular importance is that yesterday’s discussion was not limited to confidence-building measures. Methodology was discussed, as was the substance of the Cyprus problem,” he said. As Christodoulides had acknowledged, positive steps had been recorded on several issues, while differences remained on others. Related Articles • Erhurman: ‘Game-changing’ proposal still on table • ‘An important step’ towards ‘the ultimate goal’, Christodoulides says of tripartite • Crossing points at Louroujina, Karavostasi to open, leaders to meet Guterres • Holguin: ‘huge damage’ if current Cyprus initiative fails • Our View: Would either side be upset if Holguin calls time? • Cyprus talks at ‘crucially critical point’ “The essential point is that discussions on all three pillars will continue, both ahead of and during the meeting with the UN Secretary General,” Letymbiotis said. He also highlighted the agreement to open two new crossing points, the first since 2018, alongside initiatives involving education, cultural heritage, the environment and crisis management. “These are tangible steps of progress,” he said, noting that some had been included in the 19 proposals submitted by Christodoulides. However, he stressed that the importance of a diplomatic meeting should not be judged solely by the number of agreements reached, but “is reflected primarily in the opportunities it creates for the next day”. Looking back at developments since March 2023, Letymbiotis said the process had moved from almost six years of negotiating deadlock, during which the Turkish side had advanced demands outside the agreed framework, to the appointment and reappointment of a UN personal envoy, two expanded meetings under Guterres’ auspices and greater EU involvement. He also pointed to the appointment of a European Commission envoy and the UN Secretary-General’s visit to Cyprus. Letymbiotis acknowledged that significant obstacles remained, but said these reinforced the need for sustained diplomatic engagement. “Progress is not an automatic process. It is built through persistence, initiatives and, above all, a steady focus on the objective,” he said. He insisted that the government was not pursuing meetings simply for the sake of maintaining diplomatic activity but a “process that will produce results, create prospects and bring us closer to the resumption of substantive negotiations”. According to Letymbiotis, Monday’s outcome provided the basis for continuing the effort with greater momentum, concrete content and a clear direction. Christodoulides handed over 19 proposals in writing Responding to a Cyprus Mail question about Holguin’s statement in an interview that Christodoulides had not submitted his 19 proposals in writing and that she had seen only four points, Letymbiotis said the proposals had been presented on several occasions and were formally handed over in writing on Monday. He added that most of the 19 proposals were also included in Christodoulides’ October 10 letter to the UNSG. He pointed out that some proposals had already been rejected by the Turkish Cypriot side, questioning how the absence of a written submission could be considered an obstacle to their consideration. He said other proposals could lead to “substantive progress and the substantive restoration of international law”, as they were consistent with UN Security Council resolutions, while also helping to build confidence between the two communities. He referred specifically to the proposal, which Erhurman himself had made public, concerning the fenced-off area of Varosha together with the operation of Famagusta port under the European Union. “I have the strong conviction that, if what we are seeking is substantive progress on the issues raised, and this is what we saw yesterday, despite the proposals not having been in writing, we should focus on that substance,” he said. Letymbiotis also drew a comparison with the framework presented by Guterres at Crans-Montana in 2017. “After all, I believe that the UN Secretary General’s framework at Crans Montana was not presented in writing, but that does not mean it was not clear and explicit what that framework was,” he said.