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President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman held a meeting on Thursday ahead of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in New York. The session, described by both leaders as productive, took place two months after UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visited Cyprus to discuss the potential for an expanded 5+1 conference.
Despite the meeting, no progress has been reported regarding the conditions established by Guterres for convening such a conference. The Secretary-General recently stated that he would not hold a meeting with the two leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, noting that significant work remains to be done. Guterres emphasized a cautious approach, stating that the UN is determined to facilitate a meeting only when conditions for success are met to avoid repeating past failures.
During Thursday’s discussions, President Christodoulides introduced new proposals concerning confidence-building measures, negotiation methodology, and the substance of the Cyprus problem. Christodoulides stated that there was no negative response to these ideas and suggested that they could lead to positive developments if the necessary political will is present. However, there remains no formal agreement on confidence-building measures or methodology, and no progress has been recorded regarding the status of crossing points, which have been under discussion since early 2025.
Critics suggest that introducing new proposals may serve as a diversion from the specific requirements previously outlined by the UN Secretary-General. There is skepticism regarding whether these new ideas will facilitate movement toward the 5+1 conference, as the Turkish Cypriot leadership has not indicated a willingness to deviate from the agenda established by Guterres.
Article source: cyprus-mail.com | Image credit: cyprus-mail.com
