UN chief announces plans for new enlarged meeting on Cyprus issue
Nicosia, July 29
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday announced plans to convene another enlarged meeting on the Cyprus issue following a tripartite meeting with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman.
Guterres arrived in Cyprus on Monday evening for his first visit to the island since taking office as UN Secretary-General. It was also the first visit by a sitting UN chief since Ban Ki-moon travelled to Cyprus in early 2010.
Guterres said the enlarged meeting on the Cyprus issue will be convened "after adequate progress" is achieved on the matters of confidence-building measures, the meeting's methodology, and the substance of the talks, Xinhua news agency reported. He did not set a deadline, but said there was a "consensus" among the two sides and the island's three guarantor powers -- Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom - that such a meeting should be held.
He stressed that the UN did not want "another enlarged meeting to end without result" and that "adequate preparation" should be made beforehand.
Guterres met separately on Tuesday with Cypriot President, as well as Erhurman, and reaffirmed his commitment to supporting efforts to resolve the Cyprus issue.
"This visit is a visit of solidarity to the people of Cyprus and to show my strong commitment to make sure that we are able to have, finally, the solution in Cyprus," he said after meeting Christodoulides. He later met Erhurman.
Guterres said the pursuit of a solution "depends, obviously, on the Cypriots themselves," adding that "the guarantor powers also have a role to play," referring to Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom under the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee.
Cyprus gained independence from British colonial rule in 1960. Under the arrangements governing its independence, Britain, Greece and Turkey were designated guarantor powers.
In 1974, a coup by Greek army officers aimed at uniting Cyprus with Greece prompted a Turkish military intervention, leaving the island divided.
The United Nations has maintained a long-standing peacekeeping force in Cyprus and has repeatedly mediated talks between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities.
A UN-led Conference on Cyprus opened in Geneva in January 2017, followed by further negotiations later that year. The talks ended without agreement amid differences over issues including security arrangements and the role of the guarantor powers.
In March 2025, an informal meeting on the Cyprus issue held in Geneva under UN auspices resulted in agreement on a number of confidence-building initiatives aimed at reviving the stalled peace process.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Why does the UN keep going around in circles on this? Cyprus has been divided since 1974 — that's over 50 years! It's like our Kashmir situation, honestly. The guarantor powers (Greece, Turkey, UK) have their own interests, not Cyprus's welfare. Guterres means well, but if the Turkish Cypriots and Greeks can't find common ground on basic confidence measures, this enlarged meeting is just another talkfest. 😕
A thoughtful approach from Guterres. The fact that both Cypriot leaders and the three guarantor powers all agreed on the need for a meeting is a positive sign, even if it's just a small step. I'm cautiously optimistic — the 2025 Geneva meeting showed that dialogue can produce tangible outcomes, like the confidence-building initiatives. The key will be whether the UN can maintain momentum and avoid the kind of breakdown that happened in 2017 over security arrangements.
Honestly, sir, I don't see much hope here. Greece and Turkey have been at loggerheads for centuries, and the UK is just there for its military bases. The UN peacekeeping force has been on Cyprus since 1964 — that's longer than India's been independent! If the UN can't resolve even one small island dispute, how will it handle bigger issues? The confidence-building measures are a Band-Aid. 😤
It's refreshing to see a UN chief actually visit the island and engage directly with both communities. Guterres seems more hands-on than his predecessors. The line "the pursuit of a solution depends on the Cypriots themselves" is spot on — external actors can only facilitate, not force a deal. Let's hope the Geneva groundwork pays off. The 1960 Treaty of Guarantee is outdated; a new framework needs to emerge that respects both Greek and Turkish Cypriot rights.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.