Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has shown interest in resolving long-standing issues between Turkey and the European Union, during a face-to-face meeting with President Nikos Christodoulides in New York.

The private discussion took place shortly after a dinner hosted by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the UN headquarters, as part of an informal meeting on the Cyprus issue. The dinner lasted about an hour and was attended by key stakeholders in the Cyprus dispute.

According to well-placed diplomatic sources, the exchange between Fidan and Christodoulides was described as “frank”.

Fidan reportedly expressed Turkey’s wish to see progress in its ties with the EU. In response, Christodoulides welcomed positive developments in EU-Turkey relations but stressed that this depended on Turkey’s compliance with its commitments on the Cyprus problem.

The timing of the meeting is significant. The Republic of Cyprus is set to take over the rotating Presidency of the EU Council in January. That role gives Nicosia the power to help shape the agenda of the European Council, which could affect Ankara’s relations with Brussels.

The UN secretary-general, for his part, reaffirmed his commitment to the Cyprus issue. He said he hoped Thursday’s second round of informal talks would bring progress on the basis of the Geneva meeting held last March. Guterres also hinted at possible announcements of fresh confidence-building measures (CBMs).

Christodoulides used the occasion to thank Guterres for arranging the talks and reaffirmed the Republic’s readiness to return to negotiations. He made clear, however, that while elections in the Turkish-occupied north this October may delay talks, the ultimate aim must be a full UN-led settlement.

During the dinner, Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar raised concerns about what he called the “isolation” of Turkish Cypriots since 1964. He said he would present proposals on Thursday to lift the so-called isolation measures. No further details on those proposals have emerged.

Meanwhile, Nicosia believes Turkey may be showing signs of readiness for progress in EU relations, provided certain conditions are met. These include respect for international law and movement on the Cyprus front.

After the dinner, Christodoulides briefed members of the National Council. He is also expected to hold a teleconference with the Council following Thursday’s plenary session of the informal meeting.