Philenews

Cyprus Reassures UN on Dialogue Commitment Amidst Concerns Over Mediator's Stance

Published February 27, 2026, 12:15
Cyprus Reassures UN on Dialogue Commitment Amidst Concerns Over Mediator's Stance

The President of the Republic addressed the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, assuring him that the Cypriot presidency of the Council of the European Union does not affect the process of restarting talks on the Cyprus issue. He emphasized his willingness to participate in the next informal five-party meeting under the auspices of the UN, regardless of the parliamentary elections in May. The need for this communication arose after the publication of an opinion article by the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General, Maria Angela Holguin, who adopted the Turkish position and proposed postponing the meetings until July, citing the presidential elections in Colombia and supporting her preferred candidate. This action is considered an intervention and a shifting of responsibility to Cyprus. The Cypriot side emphasizes that the passage of time without efforts to resolve the Cyprus issue is detrimental to all Cypriots, as it consolidates the occupation. However, it is not willing to accept the conditions set by Turkey for the resumption of negotiations. The five-point proposal submitted by the President of the Republic to the UN Secretary-General should be seriously considered. Cyprus expresses dissatisfaction with Holguin's methods, which ignore UN Security Council resolutions and absolve Turkey of any responsibility for the lack of progress in the talks. Turkey's refusal to take confidence-building measures, such as opening crossing points, is also overlooked.