President Nikos Christodoulides was definite on Monday that he would be meeting UN envoy Maria Angela Holguin again and that all her meetings, especially those in Turkey, would be decisive on the future of the Cyprus talks.

“A new meeting with Holguin will definitely take place,” Christodoulides said, however he pointed out that “it would be good for the three of us [including Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar] to sit around a table to discuss and have a free discussion so that we can get closer to the goal of July, so that there are positive developments.”

He said Holguin’s meetings outside Cyprus and in particular Turkey were of “decisive importance” and would determine “the subsequent course”.

Referring to Tatar’s remarks in relation to the issue of usurpers of Greek Cypriot property in the north and various reports in the press, Christodoulides said they “sadden me”.

“Some people on our side say that we should not apply the legislation, because the climate is supposedly being poisoned. They adopt the Turkish positions. The legislation applies to everyone. I want to reiterate something to be heard in Cyprus and abroad: the executive authority does not interfere in the judicial authority under any circumstances,” he said.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced that an informal meeting on Cyprus in a broader format will be held at the end of July, following a similar meeting in Geneva, on March 17 and 18.

In early May, the UN chief announced the appointment of Maria Angela Holguin as his personal envoy on Cyprus, who is tasked to reengage with the parties in order to work on next steps on the Cyprus issue and advise him. Holguin completed a previous assignment as personal envoy from January to July 2024.

The European Commission designated Johannes Hahn, a former European Commissioner, as Special Envoy for Cyprus to contribute to the settlement process, in close cooperation with Holguin.