The meeting between Cyprus President Tufan Erhürman and Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Hristodulidis took place in the buffer zone and lasted approximately three hours. During the meeting, the leaders reviewed the progress made in the ongoing process and reached an agreement on regular weekly meetings. A statement from the United Nations emphasized that this meeting could pave the way for positive developments.
Before the meeting, Erhürman expressed his concerns regarding the Greek side’s stance on the music festival and the Barcelona Football Academy camp to Hristodulidis. After the meeting, Hristodulidis announced that Angela Maria Holguin, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Cyprus, would visit the island in September.
UN Efforts and Goodwill Mission
The discussion took place around 16:00 at the UN Goodwill Mission Office. The two leaders noted that this meeting occurred after UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ recent visit to Cyprus, reinforcing their hope that efforts towards a solution are ongoing. It was recorded that the leaders decided to take future steps by evaluating the progress made.
It was also announced that information would be provided about the executive board members of the Civil Society Advisory Body. This was interpreted as a sign that the understanding of cooperation between the two leaders will continue to grow.
Hristodulidis’ Assessment
Upon returning to the Presidential Palace, Hristodulidis stated that during the main part of the meeting, he and President Erhürman only exchanged mutual views, describing this as a positive development. He emphasized the significant importance of the meeting for resolving the Cyprus issue and announced that a preparatory phase has begun on the island.
Hristodulidis conveyed that Holguin’s visit signifies the start of concrete steps towards rapprochements in Cyprus and that all necessary efforts will be made to achieve progress.
President Erhürman also evaluated the meeting through social media. He indicated that the meeting took place in the shadow of negative developments, stressing the need for a continued positive approach. Erhürman also highlighted their readiness to take steps regarding confidence-building measures.
At the end of the meeting, the two leaders stated that they agreed on meeting weekly, committing to directly convey demands and proposals to each other to advance the process. It was noted that Holguin would arrive on the island at the end of the first week of September, creating a promising ground for long-term cooperation between the two sides.
Source: www.diyaloggazetesi.com
