UN Secretary-General moves to convene expanded 5+1 meeting on Cyprus issue

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has announced his intention to convene an informal expanded '5+1' meeting to address the long-standing Cyprus issue. The proposed format includes representatives from the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities, the three guarantor powers—Greece, Turkey, and Britain—and the European Union. Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides has welcomed the development, noting positive responses from relevant parties, while the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its support for restarting negotiations within the established United Nations framework.

Despite the multilateral consensus on holding a meeting, significant diplomatic hurdles remain. Turkey continues to maintain that a federal solution is no longer viable, advocating instead for the recognition of two sovereign states on the island. Furthermore, Guterres emphasized that the convening of the meeting is contingent upon adequate preparation and progress regarding confidence-building measures. The goal remains a comprehensive, fair, and viable settlement in accordance with existing UN Security Council parameters, though the current disconnect between Turkish demands and the UN-supported framework persists.