**Guterres ‘Considering’ Three-Way Cyprus Meeting Following Christodoulides Talks**
In a significant diplomatic development, President Nikos Christodoulides of Cyprus met with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday in New York. Following their discussions, Christodoulides revealed that Guterres is contemplating the possibility of a three-way meeting involving the leaders of both the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities. However, Christodoulides emphasized that any progress hinges on a response from the Turkish Cypriot side.
During a press briefing after the meeting, Christodoulides expressed satisfaction with the dialogue, noting that Guterres received positively the new ideas he presented concerning substantive issues, methodologies, and potential confidence-building measures. The president highlighted the importance of the European Union's active involvement in the ongoing efforts to resolve the long-standing Cyprus issue, stating that Guterres had recently discussed the matter in detail with both the President of the European Commission and the President of the European Council.
In a bid to advance negotiations, a joint meeting involving the two negotiators from both sides, alongside the UN Deputy Secretary-General and Guterres’ Personal Envoy for Cyprus, is scheduled to take place. Christodoulides indicated his willingness to extend his stay in New York if necessary, to facilitate this joint meeting. He expressed gratitude to Guterres for his commitment to fostering developments aimed at resuming negotiations before the end of the Secretary-General's term on December 31.
The Cypriot president asserted that he believes a resumption of talks is feasible, contingent on the political will from all parties involved. When asked about the potential trilateral meeting, he confirmed that Guterres is indeed considering this option, while reiterating the need for a constructive response from the Turkish Cypriots.
Christodoulides refrained from disclosing specific details about the 19 new ideas he proposed, opting to allow space for diplomatic processes to unfold in the coming days. He expressed confidence in Guterres' efforts to convene an expanded conference that could lead to the resumption of negotiations, which have been stalled since the 2017 talks in Crans Montana.
Regarding Guterres' recent meeting with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, Christodoulides mentioned that the UN Secretary-General provided him with insights from that discussion, which served as a starting point for their own talks. He also noted that a document outlining convergences is nearing completion and will be integral to the broader discussions moving forward.
The UN has issued a brief statement confirming that Guterres and Christodoulides discussed “the way forward on the Cyprus issue,” signaling ongoing international interest in resolving the decades-long division of the island.
As the political landscape evolves, the focus remains on the necessity for collaborative efforts to overcome the current impasse and pave the way for renewed negotiations, with both the UN and EU playing pivotal roles in facilitating dialogue.