Critical trilateral meeting on the Cyprus issue held in the UN buffer zone

On November 9, 2026, a critical trilateral meeting took place at the residence of the UN Chief of Mission within the UN buffer zone, involving Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides, Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman, and the UN Secretary-General’s personal envoy, Maria Angela Holguin. The meeting focused on establishing a clear procedural framework, confidence-building measures (CBMs), and the potential for a future 5+1 summit. Discussions centered on proposals for opening four new crossing points, demining efforts, and mechanisms to overcome existing deadlocks in negotiations.

Maria Angela Holguin has emphasized the urgency of the situation, warning that failure to achieve concrete results today risks causing significant damage to the peace process and could collapse the possibility of convening a 5+1 meeting before the end of the year. While President Christodoulides expressed a positive outlook and noted that many discussion points are derived from his 19 previous proposals, reports suggest the Turkish Cypriot side is bringing a comprehensive, innovative package of CBMs to the table. The outcome of these talks is seen as a decisive moment that will determine the future trajectory of efforts toward a settlement of the Cyprus problem.