Ideas, opinions and formulas that do not constitute a common ground, convergence or agreement by all those involved in the Cyprus solution, should not receive special comment, as they are of no particular importance, Minister of Foreign Affairs Constantinos Kombos said on Thursday.
He had been asked to comment on press reports of a specific proposal or formula for the solution of the Cyprus problem.
In press statements on the sidelines of a meeting with the Albanian Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Ferit Hoxha, Kombos said that these reports on specific formulas and proposals “should not receive special comment, because they are of no particular importance”.
Kombos said that what matters is what the UNSG personal envoy and the Secretary General will conclude as to how they should proceed on the Cyprus issue.
He noted that everyone can have any ideas, opinions, approaches, various formulas but it does not mean that it is common ground in terms of convergence or agreement by all those involved.
Asked about tomorrow’s meeting of the UN Secretary-General with his personal envoy Maria Angela Holguin, the Minister said that we must wait to see about the briefing and what the decisions of the SG will be on how we move forward.
Kombos noted that what matters is whether all parties are ready, pointing out that our side wants mobility and a role and involvement of the European Union through an envoy.
The Minister said that there are too many elements that need to be clarified adding that the meeting of the personal envoy with the UNSG has particular importance and we must wait for the outcome.
He also said that we are ready and we seek to return to the negotiating table on the substance of the Cyprus problem, within the parameters set by the UN Security Council.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results due to Turkish intransigence. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.
After informal meetings in 2025, followed by a hiatus of several months, deliberations are underway for a new meeting in broader format to be held, as the term of the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres nears its end. María Angela Holguín, Guterres’ Personal Envoy on Cyprus, is tasked to engage with the parties.