The statement made by the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres leaves no room for any other interpretations, President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, said on Wednesday evening, addressing the Central Councils of Overseas Cypriot Organisations whom he briefed on the Cyprus problem.
The President informed delegates about the developments in the Cyprus issue during a meeting at the Presidential Palace that was held behind closed doors.
Welcoming the delegation, President Christodoulides told them ‘you are my favorite group’ due to the close relations he has with the expatriates in the US, Britain and Greece from his previous positions as Government Spokesman and as Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Furthermore, he stressed that ‘you are in Cyprus at a critical juncture”.
The President said that on his agenda there are seven issues that he would like to brief them on and that a discussion would follow.
Last night, he added, he was unable to attend the conference, but that happened ‘for a good cause.’
He added that today and yesterday he held important meetings.
Regarding political parties’ announcements he stressed that “the statement of the UN Secretary General can not at all be interpreted differently from what he stated.”
A briefing and discussion followed without the presence of the media.
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. Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto acts as the European Commission’s Special Representative for Cyprus, succeeding EU special envoy Johannes Hahn.
CNA/RP/AAR/EPH/2026S, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY