Head of Office at the UN Good Offices Mission in Cyprus Sergiy Illarionov reiterated the Secretary General’s repeated statements that he will not give up in his efforts to support dialogue in Cyprus. He also expressed hope 2026 will bring about progress towards resumed peace negotiations.
On her part Denisa Saková, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of the Slovak Republic said "Slovakia remains ready to continue this role for as long as both communities consider it useful and necessary — in support of a lasting, fair, and viable settlement of the Cyprus issue, and in support of a future where all Cypriots can live together in peace and security".
They were addressing an event on Wednesday afternoon marking the 37th anniversary of the bicommunal dialogue of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot political parties, facilitated by the Slovak Embassy.
Downsized staff, continuous efforts
Illariov said that the UN Good Offices Mission will continue to provide support to the sides and to their senior UN leadership, including the Personal Envoy, ''in the hope that 2026 brings even more activity and progress towards resumed negotiations and an eventual settlement in Cyprus''.
He went on to note that even with 40% downsizing of their staff in 2026, as a result of the UN reform, they are trying their best ''to continue to be of service and to support the two sides in their efforts''.
The UN diplomat also sent a message remiding everyone that the Good Offices Mission in Cyprus is available to give regular briefings to political parties, any embassies high-level visitors from the capitals.
Increased engagement
Illariov noted in his remarks that there has been far more activity on the Cyprus issue in the past two years than in the past seven years after Crans Montana in 2017. He added that since the initial appointment of SG's personal envoy Maria Angela Holguin ''we have seen an increase in engagement and a number of high-level meetings''.
''The frequency of the leaders’ meetings is notable, marking a clear increase compared to pre2024. It is positive that through this dialogue they are coming up with some new measures to work together on. While some of these initiatives have been achieved successfully - there are others that need further work and discussion'', he said.
The UN diplomat also underlined that the successful completion of these initiatives and those agreed in the informal broader format meetings hosted by the SG ''will take persistence, some creativity and most of all a willingness to compromise''.
Building trust
He praised the role of the bicommunal meetings under the auspices of the Slovak embassy noting that there is a clear role for this platform in the process in helping the leaders ''not only to implement the already agreed trust building initiatives but also to come up with new ones in order to create a conducive environment for the peace talks''.
He also praised the role of the bicommunal technical committees, highlighting also the importance of contacts between ordinary people as a way to build confidence and trust.
Denisa Saková, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of the Slovak Republic also addressed the event saying that the bicommunal dialogue today includes 18 political parties from both communities, adding that 350 meetings have taken place so far at Ledra Palace and the Slovak Embassy has facilitated more than 500 bicommunal meetings.
''Our goal has always been to support communication, build trust, and encourage cooperation between both communities. Over time, Slovakia has earned the reputation of an honest and reliable partner in Cyprus. The meetings give political parties an opportunity to exchange views openly, listen to one another, and better understand different positions on the Cyprus issue. It is important that their outcome is a joint communiqué agreed by consensus'', she said.
Cypriots living together in peace
Sakova noted that importance of this dialogue is also recognised by the United Nations and it is regularly mentioned in the UN Secretary-General’s reports to the Security Council as part of his good offices mission in Cyprus.
In her remarks she noted that dialogue is an important confidence-building measure adding that especially during periods when formal negotiations are stalled, maintaining communication and personal contact matters greatly.
''Dialogue helps preserve trust and keeps open the possibility of progress. Discussions focus mainly on issues affecting everyday life for people across the island. At the same time, the platform also allows political parties to address wider regional and security developments. In difficult times, dialogue is always better than silence'', the Slovak top official said.
She described this initiative as a unique example of long-term solidarity within the European Union.
''Slovakia remains ready to continue this role for as long as both communities consider it useful and necessary — in support of a lasting, fair, and viable settlement of the Cyprus issue, and in support of a future where all Cypriots can live together in peace and security'', she said.
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