President of the European Council, Antonio Costa is paying a visit to Cyprus in the framework of a series of meetings with heads of states and governments of the EU member states.
Costa is expected to meet with President Nikos Christodoulides in Nicosia in the afternoon of 15 September, according to the European Council.
Meanwhile, Government Spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis has said that discussions will focus on the key priorities of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU, as well as the crucial issues it will be called upon to manage. Among these, he noted, were defence and security, competitiveness and the Multiannual Financial Framework 2028–2034.
At the same time, the Spokesperson added, the two Presidents will exchange views on the informal European Council that Cyprus will organise in April, the first of its kind since the country’s accession to the European Union.
Letymbiotis also said that President Christodoulides will also inform the President of the European Council about the latest developments on the Cyprus issue, ahead of the joint meeting in New York later this month with the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community, Ersin Tatar, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results due to Turkish intransigence. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.
A second informal meeting on Cyprus in broader format was held in New York, on July 16-17, 2025, following the first meeting that took place in Geneva on March. Another meeting is anticipated later this year, to follow up on initiatives, agreed by the parties, which the UN Secretary-General António Guterres said they demonstrate a commitment to continuing a dialogue on the way forward. Guterres also announced that he would meet jointly with Cyprus leaders during the General Assembly high-level week, in September.
The two sides in Cyprus continue discussions on outstanding issues, including the opening of crossing points and a solar energy installation in the buffer zone. They also agreed to cooperate on a number of issues, including the exchange of cultural artifacts, while Maria Angela Holguín, the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy on Cyprus, continues her efforts.
The European Commission designated Johannes Hahn, a former European Commissioner, as Special Envoy for Cyprus to contribute to the settlement process, in close cooperation with Holguín.
(Source: CNA)
