Guterres seeks deliverables from Cyprus visit, sources say

Politics Antonio GuterresCyprus problemTop NewsunUnited Nations Guterres seeks deliverables from Cyprus visit, sources say Guterres Andreas Bimbishis 25/07/2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber UN Secretary-General António Guterres is not “unaware of the risk” and knows very well where things stand on the Cyprus problem, according to sources familiar with behind-the-scenes discussions. He is, however, determined to have concrete deliverables to announce once his contacts on the island conclude next Wednesday. Phileleftheros understands from sources with knowledge of the background discussions that Guterres’ goal is to move toward a “Guterres plus” framework, something beyond the parameters he himself put to both sides nine years ago at Crans-Montana. Greater clarity on the Secretary-General’s intentions, and on the prospects for his mission’s success, is expected to emerge next Monday. Holguín visit to prepare the ground Maria Angela Holguín will travel to Nicosia to prepare for Guterres’ visit. According to Phileleftheros’ information, the UN Secretary-General’s personal envoy will be at the Presidential Palace on Monday morning for a meeting with President Nikos Christodoulides. The Christodoulides-Holguín meeting carries significance, since it is expected to show, firstly, whether she has secured a positive response from Turkey that would encourage Guterres to proceed with an informal multilateral conference, and secondly, clarity on what exactly the UN Secretary-General’s mission to the island is seeking, to the extent his envoy herself is sufficiently informed of Guterres’ intentions. Based on discussions at Friday’s National Council session, and according to information gathered by Phileleftheros, President Christodoulides is going into the meetings with the UN Secretary-General with all scenarios open. At the same time, the President made clear to the political party leaders that he does not intend to accept anything that departs from the principles underpinning the Greek Cypriot side’s longstanding positions. One of the first goals Christodoulides has set, and has clearly stated both in his UN contacts and publicly on several occasions, repeated again yesterday at the National Council, is that his primary objective remains confirming the convergences already reached and resuming Cyprus problem talks from the point where they were interrupted. It is sufficiently clear in Nicosia that the UN Secretary-General will not want to lead the Cyprus problem into a new international conference unless it is clear that conference will produce a result. At the same time, convening a conference to restart negotiations remains Nicosia’s own objective. What Ankara stands to gain Both the United Nations and the European Union believe progress is possible on the Cyprus problem, as well as on certain items on the EU-Turkey agenda. According to Phileleftheros’ information, one area of the EU-Turkey relationship where positive steps could emerge is an upgrade to the customs union. However, the European Union made clear during the meeting between António Costa and Ursula von der Leyen with Hakan Fidan that progress on EU-Turkey matters must be preceded by progress on the Cyprus problem. Ankara, though, has signalled through specific moves, such as issuing a NAVTEX, that it is more interested in raising tensions than in facilitating the UN Secretary-General’s mission. The joint communiqué Members of the National Council expressed their support for President Christodoulides’ efforts to resume negotiations toward a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem, in a joint communiqué issued Friday following their session at the Presidential Palace. According to the communiqué, National Council members were briefed during Friday’s meeting with President Christodoulides on the latest developments in the Cyprus problem since the Council’s previous session on June 22, 2026. “The National Council welcomes the visit of the UN Secretary-General to Cyprus, a practical demonstration of his personal commitment to efforts to resolve the Cyprus problem. The National Council also welcomes the appointment of Mr Raffaele Fitto, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, as the EU’s special envoy on the Cyprus problem,” the communiqué states. “Respecting the longstanding positions of the political forces, the members of the National Council express their support for the President of the Republic’s efforts to resume negotiations toward achieving a comprehensive resolution of the Cyprus problem,” the communiqué concludes. Discontent over “civil society” meeting One of three meetings the UN Secretary-General will hold, besides those with the two community leaders, will be with “civil society,” while the other two will be with the Committee on Missing Persons and technical committees. Guterres’ decision to exclude the political parties from his programme has caused discontent among the political forces. Phileleftheros understands, from sources familiar with the content of Friday’s National Council session, that all the party leaders present expressed discontent that the UN side had excluded the parties. It appears the same approach was followed by the UN side during the Guterres visit as during Holguín’s contacts. Statements by party leaders within the National Council indicated that, in their meetings with the Secretary-General’s personal envoy, they had stressed the need for the parties to also take part in such meetings, pointing to the role parties play within Cypriot society itself. More broadly, the question arises as to why, in both the Guterres visit and Holguín’s contacts on the island, no organised bodies, such as the Union of Occupied Municipalities or refugee associations, were invited to take part. Party leaders’ statements Speaking after the National Council session, party leaders underlined the importance of the Secretary-General’s upcoming visit and expressed support for the President, while also setting out their broader positions on developments in the Cyprus problem. DISY leader Annita Demetriou stressed the importance of safeguarding the negotiating framework and the acquis. She spoke of “very important moments,” referring to the Secretary-General’s upcoming visit, and said DISY would be “supportive wherever and whenever needed.” Asked about the prospects for success, she said it was not a matter of optimism or pessimism, but that the Secretary-General’s visit itself was very significant, adding that DISY hoped for the outcome it was seeking. AKEL general secretary Stefanos Stefanou pointed to the need to safeguard the convergences already achieved in the Cyprus problem. He struck a cautious note on the prospects for resuming talks, saying that based on what is known so far, the degree of optimism could not be determined. He said “the convergences are many and significant, in important chapters and aspects of the Cyprus problem.” He added: “It is therefore extremely important that we safeguard what has been achieved, so that we can start from the point which the UN Secretary-General considers to be just a mile away from reaching a strategic common understanding — in the Secretary-General’s own assessment, the point of no return for achieving a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem.” ELAM leader Christos Christou reiterated his party’s opposition to a bizonal, bicommunal federation, arguing such a solution would not guarantee the survival of Greek Cypriot Hellenism. He also said ELAM considers it the UN Secretary-General’s obligation, during his visit to Cyprus next week, to condemn the actions of occupying Turkey regarding violations of the Green Line, as well as the NAVTEX issued for maritime surveys linked to a natural gas pipeline Turkey plans to build toward the occupied areas of the Republic. DIKO leader Nikolas Papadopoulos expressed hope that Guterres’ contacts on the island would create the conditions for convening a broader international conference aimed at resuming negotiations on the Cyprus problem, within the agreed framework set by UN resolutions. He welcomed the Secretary-General’s visit and expressed hope that “the contacts he will have on the island will shape the kind of data and conditions that will allow the convening of a broader international conference, which will aim at resuming negotiations on the basis of the agreed framework set by UN resolutions.” Alma leader Odysseas Michaelides welcomed “the momentum that currently exists, reflected in the fact that the UN Secretary-General is coming to Cyprus and in the appointment of the European Commission’s representative on the Cyprus problem,” while expressing support for the President’s efforts. “We have chosen the path of a solution” Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis said Friday, after the National Council session, that Cyprus has chosen the path of a solution and is determined to see it through to the end, expressing hope for genuine political will on the other side as well. He said the President briefed the Council on the latest developments in the Cyprus problem and on diplomatic consultations, and that an exchange of views took place ahead of the Secretary-General’s upcoming visit, describing it as an “extensive” exchange ahead of “the first visit by a UN Secretary-General in 16 years.” “A visit of high importance and high symbolism, both for the value of the contacts themselves and for the actions the Secretary-General is working toward, aimed at achieving the goal he has set for convening a broader conference that will lead to the resumption of substantive negotiations from the point where they were interrupted at Crans-Montana in 2017,” he added. He said the National Council had once again proven its importance as the institutional forum for the collective assessment of developments on the country’s foremost national issue, adding that “as the joint communiqué itself demonstrates, these are critical moments.” He said: “We hope that in the coming period the momentum will increase even further, and what such moments require above all is unity,” noting that unity does not mean uniformity of views. He noted that it has been recognised that the UN Secretary-General “is personally investing his own time, and the institutional weight carried by the role of UN Secretary-General is practical proof that he himself sees prospects in the effort he has undertaken since last March, which he had discussed and had announced to the President of the Republic at their meeting in Brussels.” He added: “This effort and momentum are also owed to a significant degree to our own initiatives, particularly through the more active, leading involvement of the EU, with the appointment of Mr Fitto as the most recent and highly significant development.” He said Cyprus does not underestimate the difficulties involved: “We know that the intransigence of occupying Turkey in recent years has been a challenge. In any case, however, we are approaching these meetings, in the series of meetings the UN Secretary-General will hold upon his arrival in Cyprus, with clear positions, with well-documented views, always with initiatives, always together with that genuine political will, which has contributed and will continue to contribute even more to the efforts of the UN Secretary-General.” Subscribe to our Newsletter Follow en.philenews on Google News and be the first to know all the news about Cyprus and the world. Latest News Kontides wins silver at Los Angeles Sailing Grand Slam Bordeaux wildfires spread as 141,000 forced to flee E-kalathi reveals wide price gaps between supermarkets as inflation continues to bite Lifeguards save swimmer from drowning in Paphos rough seas Drousiotis faces up to 7 years over forged documents in “Sandy” case charges Christodoulides, Mitsotakis to coordinate ahead of Guterres visit Public Works nears deal to install smart traffic lights in Nicosia, Limassol