cyprus problem — United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is “seriously disturbed” by the lack of progress on the Cyprus problem following a recent tripartite meeting. This meeting, which involved his envoy Maria Angela Holguin, President Nikos Christodoulides, and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman, was held last month to discuss ongoing issues between the island’s communities.
According to reports by Turkish public broadcaster TRT, Guterres has pressed the Cypriot leaders to urgently implement confidence-building measures to improve relations between the Greek and Turkish Cypriots. He reportedly conveyed a strong message to Holguin, stating that without visible steps towards these measures, he would refrain from convening a larger meeting.
Following the discussions, Holguin indicated that no immediate plans for an enlarged meeting were in place, emphasising the need for tangible results in confidence-building efforts. She remarked, “I am waiting for something more,” hinting at the lack of responsiveness from both leaders regarding her prior demands for progress.
Despite the setbacks, Holguin maintained a positive outlook, asserting that “all processes are dynamic” and expressing her belief that progress would eventually occur. President Christodoulides echoed this sentiment, stating that he was not disappointed with the outcomes of the meeting and outlining a five-point proposal he had submitted to Holguin and Erhurman.
Christodoulides expressed willingness to announce additional unilateral measures for the Turkish Cypriots and suggested a meeting between Greek Cypriot chief negotiator Menelaos Menelaou and Erhurman’s undersecretary, Mehmet Dana, within the next two weeks. The main aim of this meeting would be to resume negotiations.
Erhurman, however, noted that the trust between the two communities was insufficient for a fruitful enlarged meeting at this time. He indicated that the five-point proposal presented by Christodoulides lacked new elements, reiterating previously discussed topics and asserting that Wednesday’s meeting was “useful but not very productive.”
Holguin had previously stated that little progress had been made in confidence-building measures since her last visit to Cyprus, which has heightened concerns over the ongoing stalemate. No date has been set for her return, but there is an indication from Christodoulides that Erhurman is willing to meet independently if necessary, demonstrating an urgency to move forward.