Fresh details have emerged regarding the expected visit to Cyprus by UN Secretary-General António Guterres at the end of July, with the newspaper Politis reporting, citing diplomatic sources, that his trip will extend well beyond routine meetings with the island’s two leaders.
Five-party conference the target
According to Politis, the principal aim of the visit is to help shape the content of a possible five-party Cyprus conference under consideration for September.
The paper reported that Guterres is seeking a “results-oriented” gathering this time, in order to avoid repeating the failures of past negotiation rounds, and that he intends to use his meetings with the two leaders to clarify the likely timeline of any renewed process.
A second objective, the report suggested, is to draw civil society organisations from both communities more actively into proceedings.
Visit contingent on security situation
Diplomatic sources cited by Politis indicated that Guterres’s wider regional tour — which also takes in Syria and Jordan alongside Cyprus — will hinge on the security situation in the Middle East.
The paper suggested the tour could be called off altogether should there be a serious military escalation involving Iran.
Turkey seen as key to any breakthrough
The newspaper further claimed, citing diplomatic sources, that the UN Secretary-General regards Turkey as the decisive player in resolving the Cyprus problem.
It reported that Guterres and his Special Representative for Cyprus, María Ángela Holguín, have been in close contact with the Turkish side in recent weeks, and that Guterres had recently discussed the Cyprus issue directly with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
Talk of a new solution model
Politis also pointed to a series of recent assessments floating a more flexible model for resolving the Cyprus dispute, one built around transitional phases.
Reported proposals include the creation of a presidential council underpinned by a loose federation, as well as consideration of Cyprus’s NATO membership as part of a security chapter. The United Nations has not officially confirmed any of these claims.
