Following an informal dinner meeting in New York on 15 October between Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides, the European Union plans to appoint a representative to get involved in the Cyprus issue, according to a report from Greek Cypriot daily ‘Phileleftheros’, Yeniduzen reported.
The newspaper mentioned that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hinted at this intention during discussions with Christodoulides in Brussels last week. However, it’s unclear when this appointment will take place.
The report suggests that the Republic of Cyprus believes nothing significant will happen until after procedural sessions in the European Parliament, likely meaning no real action from Brussels before the new European Commission takes office in December.
Following the European Council meeting in Brussels last week, Christodoulides said that the Cyprus issue is a European problem, and the EU has an important role to play. He expects concrete statements from the EU soon, showing its growing interest in resuming negotiations and highlighting the role it can take in the process.
Phileleftheros also mentioned that Greek Cypriot leaders are waiting for the next steps from the UN, particularly after Rosemary DiCarlo’s involvement following the October 15 meeting. There is curiosity about how Turkey will respond to these developments.
Meanwhile, ‘Haravgi’ reported that the Greek Cypriot party DISI and the Speaker of the Greek Cypriot Parliament, Annita Demetriou, reiterated their support for Christodoulides’ efforts. They emphasised that the only acceptable solution remains a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation with political equality. Demetriou called the informal meeting in New York a positive step towards restarting talks, in line with UN resolutions, and urged support for every effort to reunite Cyprus.
She also noted the importance of the UN Secretary-General’s persistence and stressed the need for further informal discussions involving Turkey, Greece, and the UK, as these are crucial to shaping the desired framework for a solution.
‘Alithia’ reported similar remarks from Demetriou, where she stressed the duty to leave behind a free Cyprus, without outdated security guarantees or occupying troops.
