Holguin calls on Cyprus to take ‘historic opportunity’ for solution

United Nations envoy for the Cyprus problem Maria Angela Holguin on Wednesday called on Cypriots to “seize this historic opportunity to negotiate a lasting solution”, as she evaluated her latest round of contacts. “I understand the difficulty in believing in a different Cyprus, but don’t give up, don’t remain prisoners of a difficult past,” she said, adding, “I reiterate my invitation to Cypriots to design a shared, prosperous, and secure future that will uphold and respect your rights”. As such, she said that she is “committed and willing to explore all possible ways to promote dialogue towards an agreement that is satisfactory for all stakeholders”, and that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also “remains fully committed in his support to find a mutually beneficial solution for all Cypriots”. “In this context, he is evaluating which could be the next phases that will convince both parties to take concrete steps towards a final solution, hoping that optimism can drive both sides towards Cyprus’ future,” she said. 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She also passed comment on the various media reports which have surfaced in weeks offering suggestions as to the content of her recent meetings, saying that they are “rich in assumptions and creativity”, before stressing that “there is not a single word written from me”. Regarding her own work, she said that she has “devoted time to listen to academics, politicians, the private sector, and civil society at large”, but also that “sustained and genuine political will of the two leaders, supported by their own communities, will continue to be needed to ensure a successful outcome”. “I recognise past efforts and difficult negotiations throughout history. Several UN secretaries-general tried to bring the parties together in their search for a solution,” she said, before adding that since the last round of negotiations in earnest, at the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana in 2017, “realities on the ground have deeply changed”. Nonetheless, she said that she believes that a “renovated dialogue” could “actually motivate both sides to agree to a pathway in which both can prosper with security and opportunities”. To this end, she said that she is “convinced that Cypriots can cooperate and share a vision of the future for the new generations”. “Cyprus truly has the potential to become a central regional actor by uniting around common interests, while respecting its own internal characteristics and diversity. Cyprus can be a place where bridges are built in all directions and coexistence is promoted in this complex eastern Mediterranean region,” she said. She added that as such, “Cyprus can truly become an example for the region, for Europe, and for the rest of the world”. “We can all observe that developments in this region lead to increased tension and confrontation among countries. In this context, a decision that favours all Cypriots and finally puts an end to so many years of uncertainty becomes all the more urgent,” she said. President Nikos Christodoulides, Maria Angela Holguin and Tufan Erhurman On this matter, she added that “the status quo is no longer a guarantee of stability and security in today’s fast-changing and agitated world”, and that “unfortunately, a flurry of ongoing conflicts and crises in different parts of the world confirm this”, Looking ahead, she said that she will “continue sparing no effort” to work with Guterres “with the view to supporting Cypriots reaching an understanding and a final agreement that will bring security and prosperity to the whole island”. In this endeavour, her next meeting will be with European Council President Antonio Costa in Brussels on July 13, with that meeting having been postponed until after next week’s Nato summit, which will take place in Ankara. Pursuant to that, she will return to Cyprus with a view to holding more meetings with both President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman with a view to convening an enlarged meeting on the Cyprus problem, involving the island’s two sides, its three guarantor powers, Greece, Turkey, and the United Kingdom, and the UN. That meeting will likely take place next month.