Nicosia, Cyprus. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres arrived in Cyprus on Monday evening and is scheduled to meet the island’s two leaders, becoming the first sitting UN secretary-general to visit in 16 and a half years.
He will hold separate meetings with President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman on Tuesday, followed by a tripartite meeting on Wednesday.
Meetings and peace process
Guterres will first meet Christodoulides and then Erhurman at their official residences on Tuesday morning.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the secretary-general will discuss “efforts to advance the peace process and support stability on the island, including through the work of the United Nations peacekeeping force in Cyprus”.
Later on Tuesday, Guterres will visit the Committee on Missing Persons. On Wednesday, he will hold a tripartite meeting with both leaders at the UN good offices mission.
Envoy’s preparations
Ahead of Guterres’ arrival, his envoy Maria Angela Holguin met Christodoulides and Erhurman on Monday.
After meeting Christodoulides, Holguin said Guterres would “encourage” the two leaders to return to negotiations aimed at resolving the Cyprus problem.
“The mission of [Guterres] is to facilitate, encourage the people and the leaders to look forward for a negotiation [process] and this is why he is coming,” she said.
Holguin said she hoped progress could be achieved during the visit, following meetings in Brussels and Ankara.
Regional contacts
Guterres spoke by telephone with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Sunday.
Christodoulides travelled to Athens before the UN chief’s visit and met Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Mitsotakis said Guterres’ planned departure from office at the end of the year had created a sense of urgency.