The informal meetings in a broader format held in 2025 and the contacts between the President of the Republic of Cyprus and the new Turkish Cypriot leader ‘demonstrated that there is a new moment of opportunity to move forward on the Cyprus issue,’ the United Nations Secretary-General says in his Observations in the Report on his mission of Good Offices in Cyprus.
António Guterres welcomes the commitment of the two leaders and the guarantor powers – Greece, Trkiye and the United Kingdom – to sustain their engagement, despite the fact that this represents ‘the longest gap without active negotiations in the history of the Cyprus peace process’.
‘The guarantor powers, Greece and Trkiye, sustained efforts to improve bilateral relations during the reporting period, which is of particular significance in the context of the ongoing efforts to revive the dialogue on the Cyprus issue,’ the Report notes.
Particular weight is given to the joint meeting of the two leaders on 11 December 2025, facilitated by his Personal Envoy, María Ángela Holguín Cuéllar, during which ‘for the first time in more than five years, discussions on core political issues took place’.
At that meeting, he notes, the two leaders agreed that their goal is ‘to achieve the solution of the Cyprus issue with political equality as described in the Security Council resolutions,’ a commitment which, he underscores, ‘has not been seen by the leaders since 2020’.
At the same time, the Secretary-General calls on the two sides to demonstrate ‘stronger determination’ with regard to the trust-building initiatives that have not yet been implemented. He places particular emphasis on the opening of new crossing points, noting that these can have a ‘tangible positive impact on the daily lives of people’ and can increase contact, mutual understanding, trade and economic interdependency.
Guterres expresses satisfaction with the strengthened role of the Technical Committees, to which several trust-building initiatives agreed in March and July 2025 were assigned for elaboration and implementation. As he notes, this underscored ‘the added value of their work’ and their contribution to supporting broader peacebuilding efforts. At the same time, he commends both sides for their efforts to insulate the Committees from political dynamics.
Specific reference is made to the Technical Committee on youth, which, according to the Secretary-General, ‘shows great promise,’ responding to the Security Council’s request for the meaningful participation of youth in the peace process. He reiterates the call to reinvigorate the Technical Committee on education and to proceed with joint work on educational materials and programmes, underlining the importance of education in fostering reconciliation and cooperation.
Also, the Secretary-General expresses concern over unilateral actions ‘in and around the buffer zone,’ which ‘undermine the military status quo, the integrity of the buffer zone and the Security Council mandate.’ He reiterates that the UN position on Varosha ‘remains unchanged,’ recalling Security Council resolutions 550 (1984) and 789 (1992).
Concluding his Observations, António Guterres describes the dialogue between the two leaders as encouraging but still at an early stage, stressing that ‘more will need to be done to strengthen the nascent momentum and establish a genuine climate of trust.’ He assures that he will continue engagement with the sides and the guarantor powers, remaining guided by the relevant Security Council resolutions.
‘I urge the two sides to demonstrate a stronger determination with respect to those trust-building initiatives that have not yet been implemented. I encourage the two leaders to conclude an agreement on opening new crossing points without delay, as crossings can have tangible positive impact on the daily lives of people and increase contact between the people, which ultimately strengthens mutual understanding, trade and economic interdependency,’ Mr. Guterres states in his Observations.
Intensification of dialogue and trust-building initiatives
The Report, which covers the period from 12 June to 15 December 2025, records an intensification of dialogue and UN engagement with the two communities and the guarantor powers. A key milestone was the informal meeting in a broader format convened by the Secretary-General in New York on 17 July 2025, with the participation of the two leaders, the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Greece and Trkiye, and the United Kingdom Minister of State for Europe and North America.
At that meeting, stock was taken of the six trust-building initiatives agreed in March and a common understanding was reached on four additional initiatives. While some have already been implemented, others, as noted, require further work and consultation. Subsequently, the Secretary-General hosted a trilateral meeting with the two leaders in New York on 27 September.
The Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy, María Ángela Holguín Cuéllar, visited Cyprus in August, September and December, holding meetings with the leaders, their representatives, the Technical Committees and other key interlocutors, while also engaging with the guarantor powers, Member States and the European Union.
Of particular significance is the assumption of office by the new Turkish Cypriot leader, Tufan Erhrman, on 19 October 2025, following an electoral victory with over 62 per cent of the vote in the first round. The Report notes that he was elected on a platform of overcoming internal divisions and returning to talks on the basis of a federal solution.
Technical Committees
At the operational level, the Good Offices mission recorded 176 meetings with political parties, religious leaders, civil society organizations, women’s and youth groups, the EU, the World Bank and the diplomatic community. The Technical Committees held 151 meetings across 13 thematic areas.
The Technical Committee on youth held its first public event in July and participated in a specialized workshop in Jordan, strengthening intergenerational dialogue and commitment to peacebuilding. The Technical Committee on cultural heritage completed significant conservation works on monuments and cemeteries, fully implementing the relevant trust-building initiative.
By contrast, some Committees – such as those on education, gender equality and crisis management – showed limited or no progress, a concern highlighted by the Secretary-General.
The annexes to the Report include the written updates submitted by the two leaders. The President of the Republic of Cyprus reiterates that the only viable solution is a ‘bi-zonal, bi-communal federation with political equality,’ based on Security Council resolutions and the convergences achieved at Crans-Montana. He expresses concern over actions by Trkiye that ‘create new faits accomplis,’ referring, inter alia, to Varosha, military upgrading, the issue of missing persons, the assumption of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union by the Republic of Cyprus, and activities in the buffer zone.
For his part, the Turkish Cypriot leader outlines a ‘new methodology’ of four points for the resumption of negotiations, stressing that ‘this time must be different.’ He argues that the creation of a ‘climate conducive to solution’ is required, presenting a ten-point package of measures covering issues of crossings, youth, trade and missing persons.
Special reference is made of the work of the Committee on Missing Persons (CMP). Both leaders underline the importance of the depoliticization of the CMP’s work and its unhindered access to information and burial sites.