United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will host talks next week in Geneva to discuss the future of Cyprus, as opposing views on the island’s political status remain deeply divided.
"The Secretary-General will bring together the two Cypriot leaders and the guarantor powers—Greece, Turkey, and the United Kingdom—for an informal meeting on Cyprus at the UN Office in Geneva on 17th - 18th March.
"The informal meeting ... will provide an opportunity for a meaningful discussion on the way forward on the Cyprus issue," said U.N. spokesperson Michele Zaccheo at a Geneva press briefing on Friday.
Cyprus has been embroiled in a decades-long dispute between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, despite repeated UN-led diplomatic efforts to reach a comprehensive settlement.
The talks are seen as a way to try to break a deadlock in peace negotiations that stalled in 2017.
TRNC Foreign minister, Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu, downplayed the likelihood of progress.
"The Greek Cypriots want to use the opportunity (meeting) to ... pick up the negotiation from where they were left off (in 2017)," Ertuğruloğlu told Reuters recently. "For us, it is an opportunity to reiterate how we see the way forward: two separate, sovereign, equal states."
"There is no likelihood of establishing a partnership with the Greek Cypriots so why bother? Why insist on a proven failure of a formula? It's our question to the United Nations," he added.
Ahead of the Geneva talks, President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Ersin Tatar reiterated that sovereign equality and equal international status are prerequisites for any negotiations. He stated that a federation-based solution is no longer viable.
Last Saturday, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis met with President Nikos Christodoulides at Maximos Mansion, highlighting the alignment between Athens and Nicosia.
"I want to reiterate my appreciation for your efforts to keep this dialogue alive and achieve a fair and sustainable solution to the Cyprus issue, always based on United Nations resolutions," Mitsotakis told the Cypriot president.
Christodoulides stated that he had "a clear plan and strategy" for the upcoming Geneva talks. "We know exactly what we want—to resume talks from where they were suspended in the summer of 2017, utilizing the progress made in negotiations, with the sole aim of resolving the Cyprus issue based on the agreed framework, principles, and values of the European Union," he added.
A Turkish Cypriot breakaway "state" declared in the north is recognised only by Turkey, while the Republic of Cyprus has an internationally recognised government led by Greek Cypriots. Cyprus is also an EU member since 2004.
Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic, Juraj Blanar touched on the outcomes of President Ilham Aliyev’s official visit to ...
Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov is holding a round of political and energy focused talks in Hungary as both governments work to expand...
Israel’s position that phase two of the Gaza ceasefire cannot begin without the final hostage being returned is intended to pressure Hamas rather th...
More than 2.6 million Afghans have returned from Iran and Pakistan since the start of 2025, deepening what the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICE...
Time Magazine has chosen the creators behind artificial intelligence as its 2025 Person of the Year, highlighting the technology’s sweeping impact o...
Two earthquakes centered in Cyprus on Wednesday were felt across northern and central regions of Israel, raising concerns among residents in both countries. The first tremor occurred at 11:31 a.m., with the epicenter near Paphos, Cyprus, at a depth of 21 kilometers.
Wildfires have erupted across Cyprus as the island endures its hottest day of the year, prompting the evacuation of multiple villages and raising urgent alarms about climate change in the Mediterranean.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced on Thursday that the latest discussions on Cyprus were "constructive" and that progress had been made on several initiatives.
President Ersin Tatar of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus said formal negotiations on the island’s future will not resume unless Turkish Cypriots’ sovereign equality and international status are recognised.
Scores of demonstrators gathered outside the Norwegian Nobel Institute in Oslo Tuesday (9 December) to protest against the awarding of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado.
Iran and Saudi Arabia reiterated their commitment to enhance ties following a joint meeting with China in Tehran on Tuesday to follow up on implementation of the 2023 Beijing Agreement which resulted in resumption of their diplomatic relations after eight years.
The world’s leading minds and voices will be honoured on Wednesday, 10 December, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death, as Nobel Prizes are presented in Stockholm and Oslo.
In a dramatic Champions League clash at Baku’s Tofiq Bahramov Stadium, Qarabağ grabbed an early lead, but Ajax staged a thrilling comeback to win 4-2.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz congratulated Azerbaijan and Armenia on their recent peace deal which he said opened an "historic opportunity" for the region.
More than 2.6 million Afghans have returned from Iran and Pakistan since the start of 2025, deepening what the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) describes as one of the world’s most urgent humanitarian crises.
Ukraine has handed the United States a revised 20-point peace proposal aimed at ending the war with Russia, a Ukrainian official said on Thursday, 11 December.
Putin’s visit to India has put the spotlight on New Delhi’s evolving defence strategy as it seeks to modernise Russian-made systems with domestic production. At the same time, India is carefully navigating its ties with the U.S. and Europe ahead of key diplomatic visits.
Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has released his book, "Diary of a Prisoner" ("Le Journal d’un Prisonnier"), on his time in jail following his conviction. .
U.S. President Donald Trump has formally launched a scheme offering fast-tracked U.S. visas to foreigners who can pay at least $1 million — or companies willing to spend $2 million to sponsor a worker they want to bring into the country.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment