Whether progress can be made on confidence-building measures, particularly the opening of new crossing points, is expected to top the agenda when President Nikos Christodoulides meets Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman on August 26.

According to sources cited by the Cyprus News Agency, the two leaders are expected to examine whether there is willingness on the Turkish Cypriot side to move forward on the issue.

The issue has already been discussed in the presence of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the sources said, adding that the UN chief has also put forward a proposal to which the Greek Cypriot side responded positively.

The negotiators of the two sides are expected to meet ahead of August 26 to prepare for the leaders’ meeting.

Regarding the next expanded meeting on the Cyprus problem, the same sources said preparations must continue on the substance of the negotiations.

A record of the convergences reached in previous rounds of talks is currently being prepared and will be provided to all parties involved, including the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot sides and the three guarantor powers.

Once this process is completed, Guterres is expected to move towards convening the expanded meeting.

The sources said it was expected to be a matter of weeks before the document outlining the convergences is handed to the parties.

The objective of the expanded meeting, they added, is to reach a decision on the resumption of formal negotiations.

Following his joint meeting with Christodoulides and Erhurman in Nicosia on July 29, Guterres announced his intention to convene another 5+1 meeting following appropriate preparations on confidence-building measures, methodology and substance.

The UN chief said this preparation would also take into account the convergences already achieved in previous rounds of negotiations.