President Nicos Anastasiades is holding his first meeting on Friday with Colin Stewart, who this week assumed his duties as the UNSG’s Special Representative and head of the UN peacekeeping force on the island (UNFICYP).

The meeting was due to start at 9 am local time at the Presidential Palace, according to Government Spokesman Marios Pelekanos who also said that at today’s meeting, President Anastasiades’ participation at a reception hosted by the UN at Ledra Palace on December 14 at 1900 is expected to be discussed. Already President Anastasiades has responded positively to the UN about his attendance. The reception will be held on the occasion of Stewart’s arrival on the island.

Turkish Cypriot leader, Ersin Tatar, will meet Stewart at 1500 on Friday, it was announced.

During Friday’s meeting, President Anastasiades is expected to inform the UN official about the positions of the Greek Cypriot side as regards the resumption of the negotiating process for a Cyprus settlement.

Tatar has also accepted the invitation to attend the reception on Tuesday.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory. Numerous rounds of talks under the UN aegis to reunite the island under a federal roof failed to yield results.