EU Special Representative for Cyprus Raffaele Fitto is expected to hold meetings in Athens and Ankara in the coming days as diplomatic efforts on the Cyprus issue continue ahead of fresh contacts between the two sides.
According to CNA sources, Fitto is not expected to travel to New York during the high-level week of the United Nations General Assembly.
The visits to Greece and Turkey form part of efforts to support the Cyprus reunification process and come ahead of the next phase of contacts between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot sides.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' personal envoy for Cyprus, María Ángela Holguín, is expected to be in New York during the General Assembly's high-level week.
Negotatiors prepare for leaders' meeting
Preparations are also under way for President Nikos Christodoulides' visit to New York, with a number of meetings being arranged, including a meeting with Guterres, sources said.
In Cyprus, Greek Cypriot negotiator Menelaos Menelaou and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman's special representative, Mehmet Dana, held what sources described as a substantive meeting on Monday afternoon.
The talks focused on substantive issues, the methodology of negotiations and confidence-building measures (CBMs), according to CNA sources.
The meeting was held in preparation for talks between Christodoulides and Erhurman scheduled for Thursday at 11am.
The meeting will be the third between the two leaders since Guterres' visit to Cyprus in late July, when he called on both sides to make progress on CBMs, the methodology of negotiations and substantive issues.
Before leaving Cyprus, Guterres said he would convene another broader format meeting following adequate preparations, although no timetable has been announced. Holguín remains tasked with engaging the parties as efforts continue to explore prospects for progress on the Cyprus issue.
Source: CNA
