This year’s somber anniversary is accompanied, for the first time in years, by a small glimmer of hope for the Cyprus issue. Guterres’s visit in seven days is sparking cautious optimism in Nicosia, with hopes pinned on a five-party meeting at which the resumption of talks will be announced.    

“Everything depends on Turkey’s reaction ahead of the Secretary-General’s visit. We will all be judged by our actions.”
_{President of the Republic – Nicos Christodoulides}

María Ángela Olguín will be in Turkey before her visit to Cyprus on Sunday in order to send and receive final messages.
 
 A few hours later, on Monday evening, Antonio Guterres will also be in Cyprus. 

On Tuesday, Antonio Guterres will meet with President Christodoulides at 10:30 a.m. and hold a one-on-one meeting with the Turkish Cypriot leader at 11:45 a.m. At noon, he will lay a wreath at the memorial for fallen peacekeepers at Ledra Palace and visit the CMP’s anthropological laboratory. This will be followed by meetings with the negotiators and the technical committees. In the evening, he will host a dinner for the two leaders away from the spotlight.  On Wednesday morning, he will hold another joint meeting with Christodoulides and Erciyuman. Upon completing his meetings, he will hold a press conference and then depart from Nicosia.  

The Greek government is also commenting on Guterres’s visit from Cypriot soil for the first time.

“We welcome Mr. Guterres’s initiative. However, it does not depend solely on the Greek Cypriots or Greece. It also depends on the other side.”
^{Kostis Hatzidakis – Vice President of the Greek Government} 

For some, it is no coincidence that, ahead of Guterres’s visit, Erdogan decided not to attend the provocative celebration in the occupied territories. For the government, it means absolutely nothing.  

“Nothing changes. Nothing changes regarding Turkey’s crime here in Cyprus.”  

The Turkish Cypriot leader, however, foreshadowed tough negotiations on the Cyprus issue yesterday, referring—like Turkey—to the peacekeeping operation of July 20, 1974.  

“Under no circumstances will this people relinquish its rights, equality, and security on this island. This people will under no circumstances accept being a minority.”
^{Tufan Erhurman – Turkish Cypriot Leader}

Watch Evangelos Agapios’s report: