President Nikos Christodoulides will meet Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman for a first leaders' meeting this Thursday at 9.30am.
According to Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis, the meeting will take place at the residence of the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative within the United Nations Protected Area, covering the buffer zone in the old Nicosia airport area.
'Constructive spirit'
The spokesperson stressed that Christodoulides will attend “with a constructive spirit and genuine political will,” reiterating his commitment to resuming substantive negotiations from where they left off in Crans-Montana. The stated goal, Letymbiotis added, remains a comprehensive settlement based on the relevant UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions and the principles and values of the European Union.
Crucial first encounter
According to sources, newly posted UN Special Representative Khassim Diagne will welcome the two leaders to his residence on Thursday morning and then leave them alone to have their first tête-à-tête since Erhürman’s election as head of the Turkish Cypriot community last month. The encounter is considered crucial in assessing intentions ahead of what diplomats describe as a “critical consultation window”, one that could shape the upcoming phase of UN-led engagement with the two sides but also the guarantor powers.