United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has sent a letter of congratulations to the newly elected Turkish Cypriot leader, Tufan Erhürman, on his election. In his message, Guterres said he looks forward to working with him towards achieving a lasting solution to the Cyprus problem.
According to the contents of the letter, the Secretary-General assures Erhürman of his continued commitment to that goal. “I would like once again to reaffirm my steadfast dedication to the security and well-being of both Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots,” he wrote.
Guterres noted that within the framework of his good offices mandate, he remains ready to take action in this direction, while underlining the United Nations’ determination to support efforts aimed at reaching a peaceful and sustainable settlement for the benefit of all Cypriots - one that will also contribute to stability and peace in the wider region.
In his message, the Secretary-General reiterated that his commitment to convening an informal, broad-based meeting in the near future remains active. To that end, he said, he has already instructed his Personal Envoy, María Ángela Holguín Cuéllar, to travel to Cyprus for contacts with the parties.
Guterres also urged the Turkish Cypriot leader to work closely with Holguín. “I encourage you to engage in a constructive and results-oriented cooperation with my Envoy so that we can build on the momentum of 2025 and define a mutually acceptable way forward on the Cyprus issue,” he stressed.
Finally, the Secretary-General expressed his expectation of close cooperation with both Erhürman and the Special Representative and Head of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), Khassim Diagne.