The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Head of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), Hashim Dian, stated on Tuesday that there have been limited but substantive developments in the Cyprus issue in recent months.

Speaking at an EU Policy Forum marking the 20th anniversary of the EU Assistance Program for the Turkish Cypriot community at the Ledra Palace in Nicosia, Mr. Deane stated that the United Nations remains firmly committed to facilitating the process of Cypriot-led and Cypriot-owned negotiations, with the aim of a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem.

“In this context, limited but substantive progress has been made in recent months. Since October 2025, we have observed greater willingness and commitment from both leaders to engage in dialogue, reach consensus on confidence-building measures, and cooperate on a wide range of issues that transcend the dividing line,” he said.

Mr. Dian added that the outcome of the leaders’ latest meeting last Friday is particularly encouraging, as they reached a framework agreement on the consultative body for civil society participation, agreed to work on a plan to improve and ensure the conduct of religious services throughout the island, to proceed with a coordinated response to foot-and-mouth disease, and to examine economic issues, such as the designation of products as Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) and Protected Geographical Indication (PGI).

According to Mr. Dian, the United Nations believes that these “gradual steps are important and that sustained engagement is required for a meaningful policy process.”

He also added that the Secretary-General and his Special Envoy, María Ángela Olguín Cuéllar, “are fully committed to building on the recent positive steps, with the aim of enabling all parties to engage in substantive political discussions in the coming months.”

Mr. Dian noted that the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus will continue to work closely with the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy and support her critical efforts to advance the peace process. UNFICYP will also continue to work closely with both sides “to maintain calm and stability in and around the buffer zone and to minimize incidents, so that developments on the ground do not distract leaders from the broader political process,” he said.

Referring to the celebration of Europe Day, he stated that peace, reconciliation, solidarity, and cooperation are values of particular importance in Cyprus, where the European project is directly linked to the search for a comprehensive and lasting solution to the Cyprus problem.

He noted that this year’s celebrations coincide with the 20th anniversary of the European Union’s assistance program for the Turkish Cypriot community. “For two decades, the assistance program has contributed, among other things, to improving living conditions, strengthening civil society, preserving cultural heritage, and supporting bicommunal cooperation across the island,” he said, adding that these efforts are closely aligned with the United Nations’ confidence-building work, recognizing that peace is maintained not only through negotiations, but also through trust, opportunities, and daily cooperation between the communities.

For his part, the Greek Cypriot negotiator, Menelaos Menelaou, spoke of “a slow, spiraling path toward the consensual model.” He said that the significance of what has already been achieved and what continues to be achieved should not be underestimated.

“We must constantly keep in mind and be guided by the need to effectively address the most pressing question at hand, which relates to the critical dilemma regarding the future that we inevitably face. And that is the choice between a federal, reunited Cyprus with functional institutions of consensual governance within the European Union, or the continuation of a competitive, confrontational, and conflict-based model that will subject Cyprus to a troubled future,” he said.

Referring to the efforts to achieve a political settlement from 2004 to the present, which, as he said, have led to convergences achieved on key chapters, and noting the momentum developing at the societal level, Mr. Menelaou pointed out that he believes that “we are, however utopian it may sound to some, on a slow, spiral path toward a consensual model, which of course needs to become more coherent and more concrete.”

On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the implementation of the European Union’s financial assistance regulation for the Turkish Cypriot community, Mr. Menelaou highlighted Cyprus’s potential as a member state of the European Union. He expressed doubt as to whether, following the unsuccessful efforts to date toward a comprehensive settlement, the prospect of reunification would remain viable without the dimension provided by Cyprus’s membership in the European Union. “This opportunity laid the groundwork not only for a framework of policies, economic support, and participation for the Turkish Cypriot community, but also for the development of cooperation, interaction, and joint activities among people in their daily lives,” he said.

Noting that there will always be room and opportunities for more, he said that the more that is done, the better it will be for reunification efforts.

For his part, the Turkish Cypriot Special Representative, Mehmet Dana, pointed out that over the past 20 years, the EU assistance program has made a significant contribution through support for infrastructure, education, environmental protection, public health, cultural heritage, capacity building, civil society, and confidence-building initiatives, while also helping to maintain the link between the Turkish Cypriot community and the European Union. He added that it has also funded joint actions, such as the work of the Committee on Missing Persons and the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage.

He further noted that this anniversary offers an opportunity to re-examine how the international community in general, and the European Union in particular, can contribute more effectively to building trust between the two sides, paving the way for the ultimate achievement of a solution in Cyprus.

Source: CNA