UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visits Cyprus for trilateral talks

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres concluded a two-day visit to Cyprus, holding separate and trilateral meetings with President Nicos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman. The objective was to revive dialogue on the long-standing Cyprus issue, with Guterres securing consent from both sides and guarantor powers for a potential future 5+1 conference. However, no specific date for this expanded meeting has been set, as the Secretary-General emphasized the need for sufficient preparation regarding confidence-building measures, methodology, and substance before any formal summit proceeds.

During the visit, Guterres proposed a compromise for the opening of crossing points at Mia Milia and Athienou. Reports indicate that President Christodoulides expressed willingness to accept the proposal, whereas Tufan Erhurman rejected it. Erhurman characterized the visit as significant, noting that the separate meetings held by Guterres in both the north and south underscored the status of two equal leaders. Meanwhile, Turkey’s Foreign Ministry stated that while it appreciates the UN efforts, there is currently no common ground for a comprehensive solution and criticized what it termed the Greek Cypriot side's intransigent stance. The process remains active but hinges on future preparatory work and the ability of the involved parties to align on procedural and substantive benchmarks.