Turkish Cypriot leader to meet UN chief in New York

Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman will travel to New York for a meeting with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, according to a statement from the north said.

The two are expected to discuss the Cyprus issue and recent developments, with the meeting scheduled for Wednesday, February 11.

Commenting on the upcoming talks, Government Spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis told CNA that the meeting is seen as a potential step towards the resumption of negotiations, in line with the Secretary-General’s stated intention.

“This will be their first contact since Mr. Erhurman assumed leadership of the Turkish Cypriot community about four months ago, and any engagement with the United Nations, particularly at the Secretary-General level, is inherently positive and potentially constructive,” Letymbiotis said.

He added that, in a period of systematic efforts to create conditions for restarting the negotiation process, there is hope that the meeting will serve as a catalyst for renewed talks.

The spokesman reiterated that the Greek Cypriot side’s readiness to resume negotiations from the point at which they were suspended is firm and has been repeatedly expressed by President Nikos Christodoulides, including during his most recent meeting with Erhurman, attended by the UN Secretary-General’s personal envoy.

“Convening an expanded meeting under the Secretary-General’s auspices remains crucial for achieving meaningful progress and reinforcing the overall effort,” Letymbiotis said.