Nicosia was on Tuesday waiting for the UN to formally announce the appointment of a new envoy to Cyprus.

Government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis told the Cyprus News Agency that the appointment is “imminent” with news expected soon or even within the day.

Both sides on the island have approved the appointment of Maria Angela Holguin Cuellar as the UN envoy to Cyprus.

The appointment of Cuellar, is expected to be officially announced in the coming days, the UN said later in the day.

Answering a question by the Cyprus News Agency to the office of the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, spokeswoman Dionne Hutchinson stated that the envoy will be officially announced as soon as the “green light” is given.

Hutchinson noted that there will be no official announcement on Tuesday. “It will not be announced today, as soon as we have the green light we will announce it,” she said.

According to UN sources, it is expected that the new envoy will be officially hired and this is the reason why the official announcement of her name is being delayed.

Letymbiotis had previously said that Cuellar would take up her duties in January, telling CNA on Tuesday that the information was still the same.

Cuellar served as foreign minister of Colombia between 2010 and 2018 and was also head of the Colombian mission to the UN and the ambassador of her country to Venezuela.

Responding to a question as to when the president will announce the negotiating team, Letymbiotis said that first, a National Council meeting would be held on January 8.