Greek Cypriot negotiator, Menelaos Menelaou, and Turkish Cypriot leader's representative, Mehmet Dana, held a two-hour in-depth discussion on all issues arising from the recent visit of the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in Cyprus ahead of a meeting the two leaders of Cyprus, President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman will have on 26 August.
A competent source told CNA that the 20 August meeting had been a good one and that a comprehensive review of the issues took place, but noted that nothing emerged that would change the known facts. The same source elaborated that there is nothing new regarding the opening of new crossing points, while the recording of convergences continues.
The Greek Cypriot side proposed intensifying the meetings in the coming period for preparatory purposes for an informal 5+1 meeting, even meetings between the two leaders once or twice a week. The Turkish Cypriot side also expressed readiness for intensification of meetings, but there was no specific outcome.
No new meeting between the negotiators has been set before the meeting between the leaders that is to take place on 26 August.
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.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, whose term nears its end, announced he would convene another meeting in broader format, after adequate preparation, but gave no timeline. He secured to that end the consensus of both sides and of the guarantor powers. María Angela Holguín, Guterres’ Personal Envoy on Cyprus, is tasked to engage with the parties. Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto acts as the European Commission’s Special Representative for Cyprus, succeeding EU special envoy Johannes Hahn.
(Source: CNA)
