During the meeting on 26 August between President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhrman, the two sides are expected to discuss whether there is a willingness on the Turkish Cypriot side to make progress on confidence-building measures (CBMs), particularly regarding crossing points, CNA has learnt.
According to informed sources, the two leaders are expected to discuss at their 26 August meeting whether there is willingness on the Turkish Cypriot side for progress on CBMs, particularly on crossing points. As noted, the issue has already been discussed in the presence of UN Secretary-General António Guterres, and there is also a proposal submitted by the Secretary-General, to which the Greek Cypriot side has responded positively.
The same sources said that the two sides’ negotiators are expected to meet to prepare for the 26 August meeting.
Regarding the expanded meeting on the Cyprus problem, the same sources noted that efforts to prepare for substantive discussions must continue. The recording of areas of convergence is already under way, and these will be provided to all those involved – the two sides in Cyprus and the guarantor powers. The Secretary-General is then expected to convene the expanded meeting.
It was noted that the aim is for a decision to be taken at the expanded meeting to begin talks.
It is recalled that, following the joint meeting he held with President Christodoulides and Erhrman on 29 July in Nicosia, the UN Secretary-General announced that he had decided to convene another 5+1 meeting on Cyprus, after adequate preparations on confidence building, methodology and substance, taking into account the convergences already achieved.
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.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, whose term nears its end, announced he would convene another meeting in broader format, after adequate preparation, but gave no timeline. He secured to that end the consensus of both sides and of the guarantor powers. María Angela Holguín, Guterres’ Personal Envoy on Cyprus, is tasked to engage with the parties. Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto acts as the European Commission’s Special Representative for Cyprus, succeeding EU special envoy Johannes Hahn.