Diplomatic efforts to organize a new 5+1 meeting on the Cyprus issue

Following a recent visit by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to Cyprus, both Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders have committed to organizing an expanded 5+1 meeting aimed at resuming substantive negotiations. The UN chief emphasized that this meeting will only proceed after adequate preparation regarding confidence-building measures, methodology, and substantive issues, to ensure it produces tangible results. President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman are scheduled to meet under UN auspices on August 26, 2026, at 4 pm to organize these preparatory steps.

While the Greek Cypriot side expresses readiness to resume talks from the point they were interrupted in 2017 at Crans-Montana, Tufan Erhurman has stressed the need for Nicosia to complete specific 'homework' before a wider summit can occur. Reports from various sources indicate that negotiations are complicated by shifting demands regarding crossing points, including requests for the opening of the Arsos-Pyla and Louroujina routes. Diplomatic sources suggest that while Turkey publicly supports the UN initiative, it may be pressuring the Turkish Cypriot leadership to maintain a difficult negotiating stance to steer the process toward a deadlock. The upcoming August 26 meeting is expected to address these procedural matters and confirm the framework for future talks.