UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will hold talks with leaders of both Cypriot communities – President of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, BNR reported.
In a statement on the eve of the meeting, Antonio Guterres reaffirmed his determination to support efforts to revive the negotiations on the Cyprus issue, which were interrupted more than 8 years ago.
Nicosia welcomes the active personal engagement of the UN Secretary-General to resume the process within the agreed framework, of which today's meeting is an expression. President Nikos Christodoulides said he was approaching it with “realism“, while Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar said he “does not expect much“ from it.
According to Christodoulides, a review of the implementation of the agreements reached so far will be made and the next development will be discussed, with the aim of starting substantive negotiations between the two leaders. Tatar is hardening his position against formal negotiations, as he is in a contested election campaign for the elections of a new leader of the Turkish Cypriots on October 19. The talks today will also focus on the organization of the third five-party conference on the Cyprus issue under the auspices of the UN, which will most likely be in November.