"We are fully prepared, if the UN Secretary-General deems it appropriate, to participate in an expanded meeting on the Cyprus issue," said the President of the Republic, Mr. Nikos Christodoulides, today.
Speaking to reporters after the memorial service for the heroes Nikolaou and Kolokasis, in Geri, in response to a reporter’s remark that a week of developments on the Cyprus issue is coming up—including his meeting with the Turkish Cypriot leader and the visit of the President of the European Council— and when asked what he expects from his upcoming meeting with Mr. Erhürman, the President of the Republic said that “preparations have already begun based on the outcomes of the Secretary-General’s visit here and, later, on the visit of the Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, and we are continuing to work.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
Ms. Olgin will also be here at the end of the first week of September, so that through intensive meetings, results and concrete data will emerge, and, yes, an informal milestone ahead of the week of the UN General Assembly, when we will meet with the Secretary-General separately to provide an update.
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And on our part, if the need arises—if the Secretary-General deems it necessary—an expanded meeting could also take place. We are fully prepared to move in that direction. Everything we do is aimed solely at resuming the talks from where they were interrupted.”
When asked if he is optimistic that there will be tangible results by the time of the meeting in New York, the President said that “We have an obligation—and this is what we are doing—to do everything possible to ensure there are tangible results. So, if there are no tangible results—which is something we do not hope for and do not want to happen—it will not be our fault.
I believe we had a good initial discussion at our first meeting with the Turkish Cypriot leader on substantive issues, methodology, and the framework for negotiations. Ms. Olgin’s presence, as well as the work being done by the UN regarding the convergence of positions, will help the entire effort, as will, of course, the contacts made by the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy with the guaranteeing powers—and I am referring specifically to Turkey.”
When asked whether there would be an agreement to open checkpoints, the President of the Republic said, “We are discussing various issues in the Joint Working Groups. What I mentioned to the Turkish Cypriot leader—and I have also said this publicly—is that we are ready for JCMs that will strengthen the major effort to reunify our homeland and resolve the Cyprus problem. Not talks that normalize the current illegal state of affairs.
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Regarding the roadblocks, at the last meeting we revisited the issue of the four roadblocks, as they were first discussed on March 18, 2025, in Geneva with the Secretary-General. For our part, and during the Secretary-General’s recent visit, we accepted what the Secretary-General himself described as a reasonable, compromise proposal.
At the end of the day, there was no outcome, but we are continuing our efforts, always in a spirit of goodwill, to achieve results.”
