President to meet UN envoy for Cyprus talks restart

President Nikos Christodoulides is scheduled to meet with the personal envoy of the UN Secretary-General Maria Angela Holguin on Wednesday morning to discuss her recent engagements with European Union officials in Brussels and other European cities and her meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Ankara.

Government spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiots on Tuesday told the media that Christodoulides and Holguin “will likely discuss the next steps aimed at restarting negotiation talks on the Cyprus problem.”

Holguin will arrive on Tuesday evening in Cyprus, where she will stay until May 14. Following her meeting with Christodoulides, she will meet Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar on Wednesday at noon. Holguin is also set to meet Christodoulides another time prior to her departure from the island.

In the past days, she had a series of engagements in Athens, London, Brussels, Paris, Berlin, and Moscow.

Letymbiotis reiterated “the significance of tying Turkey’s trajectory towards the EU and Ankara’s relations with Brussels to a potential progress on the Cyprus problem”, stressing the positive message conveyed by Nicosia and the EU on this matter.

Responding to a question regarding recent statements made by Tatar, who once again rejected a solution based on a bizonal, bicommunal federation, rejecting federation as a solution, Letymbiotis reaffirmed the Republic’s commitment to the agreed solution framework.

He also added that the National Council will also be convened “only when there is a significant development on the matter, as has always been the practice.”

He also explained that preparations are underway in anticipation of Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis’ visit to Turkey, as part of the ongoing dialogue between Athens and Nicosia in the attempt to resume negotiation talks.