UN envoy says window for Cyprus talks is closing

New York, United States. United Nations envoy Maria Angela Holguin said on Monday that the window of opportunity for progress on the Cyprus problem is closing. Her comments followed a UN high-level week in New York last week during which no progress was made.

Warning over diplomatic space

Holguin told Turkey’s Anka news agency that the favourable opportunity available throughout last year and earlier this year was gradually closing. She warned that rising tensions in the Middle East and eastern Mediterranean could have negative consequences for Cyprus, and said the diplomatic space allowing dialogue to resume might not remain open indefinitely.

No tripartite meeting in New York

Addressing conflicting statements about a possible meeting last week between President Nikos Christodoulides, Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman and the UN, Holguin said no such meeting had been planned in advance.

She said she had told Erhurman that Christodoulides wanted a meeting. Erhurman asked whether there was a new proposal that would make it meaningful. Holguin said she replied that Christodoulides had reiterated proposals made at the leaders’ most recent bilateral meeting in Cyprus.

Erhurman declined to meet in New York, she said, because he believed the meeting would not produce a positive result unless the conditions needed for progress were met.

Letter to foreign diplomats

Asked about a letter from the Republic of Cyprus’ permanent mission at the UN requesting that foreign diplomats not meet Turkish Cypriots, Holguin said such moves “absolutely” did not help create favourable conditions for substantive negotiations to resume.

“These things only complicate an already complex issue,” she said, adding that negotiations require understanding and acceptance of the other side and its existence, rather than a hostile environment. Holguin said she had discussed the point with negotiators several times, particularly over the past month.