President holds phone conversation with Costa ahead of European Council, informs him on Cyprus issue

President Nikos Christodoulides has had a telephone conversation with the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, ahead of the June European Council.

Christodoulides on 3 June informed Costa about the results of the recent contacts which the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General, Maria Angela Holguin Cuellar, had in Cyprus, stressing the importance of the European Union's more active involvement in the efforts to resolve the Cyprus problem.

According to a written statement by Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis, during the telephone conversation, issues relating to the agenda of the European Council were discussed in detail, including the situation in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Letymbiotis added that President Christodoulides informed Costa of the results of Holguin's recent contacts, in view of the upcoming multilateral conference on Cyprus in July, and stressed Nicosia's firm commitment to the need to resume substantive talks under the auspices of the United Nations, within the agreed framework, for a solution, and with full respect for the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

In this context, the President of the Republic underlined the importance of the European Union's more active involvement in the efforts to resolve the Cyprus problem, as well as the crucial role that the EU Special Representative for Cyprus, Johannes Hahn, can play in the process, Letymbiotis concluded.

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 announced that an informal meeting on Cyprus in a broader format will be held at the end of July, following a similar meeting in Geneva, on March 17-18. The two sides agreed to proceed with a number of initiatives, involving the opening of crossing points, the creation of a Technical Committee on Youth and other initiatives in the buffer zone and throughout the island.

The UN Secretary-General António Guterres announced in early May the appointment of María Angela Holguín Cuéllar of Colombia as his Personal Envoy on Cyprus, who is tasked to reengage with the parties in order to work on next steps on the Cyprus issue and advise him. Holguín completed a previous assignment as Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General on Cyprus from January to July 2024.

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)