**Holguin Meets Gerapetritis in Athens Amid Ongoing Cyprus Negotiations**
Athens, Greece – On Wednesday, Maria Angela Holguin, the United Nations envoy for the Cyprus problem, held discussions with Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis as part of her ongoing diplomatic efforts to address the long-standing issue of Cyprus. This meeting is part of a broader series of engagements that Holguin is undertaking with key stakeholders involved in the Cyprus negotiations.
Following their meeting, the Greek foreign ministry released a statement indicating that Gerapetritis expressed Greece's confidence in the efforts of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The minister emphasized the need for a "comprehensive, just, and sustainable solution" to the Cyprus problem, which must align with relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.
Gerapetritis highlighted the importance of maintaining the momentum that has been built over the past two and a half years regarding the Cyprus issue. He reiterated Greece's commitment to support the Republic of Cyprus and its readiness to contribute constructively to the next steps aimed at resuming negotiations based on an agreed framework.
Prior to her discussions in Athens, Holguin met with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Ankara earlier this week. Additionally, she held meetings with both Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman last Friday. Holguin's itinerary includes a forthcoming trip to Brussels, and she is expected to return to Cyprus for further discussions with Erhurman and Christodoulides before the end of the month.
In a recent announcement, Holguin confirmed plans for an enlarged meeting on the Cyprus issue, which is anticipated to involve representatives from both sides of the island, the three guarantor powers—Greece, Turkey, and the United Kingdom—and the United Nations. This meeting is tentatively scheduled for late July or early August.
Both President Christodoulides and Erhurman have expressed their commitment to achieving tangible outcomes from the upcoming enlarged meeting. Following his meeting with Holguin, Christodoulides stated that the objective is to facilitate a gathering that will lead to the announcement of resumed talks. Meanwhile, Erhurman convened a meeting of Turkish Cypriot political parties, underscoring the necessity for the next meeting to yield concrete results. He emphasized that the gathering should not merely serve as a formality but should be a platform for meaningful progress.
In a related development, UN Secretary-General Guterres and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan engaged in a telephone conversation on Monday night to discuss the ongoing situation in Cyprus, coinciding with Holguin's meeting with Fidan.
As the diplomatic efforts continue, the focus remains on fostering dialogue and collaboration among the involved parties to work towards a resolution to the Cyprus problem, which has persisted for decades. The upcoming meetings and discussions are critical in determining the future trajectory of negotiations and the potential for peace on the island.