In a renewed effort to keep the Cyprus peace process alive, diplomatic activity is under way on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, against the backdrop of the United Nations’ next moves. Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman revealed in a social media post that he met Rosemary DiCarlo, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, with talks focusing on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ new initiative on Cyprus.
According to Erhürman, the meeting included an exchange of views on the initiative the Secretary-General is preparing, which is expected to follow parliamentary elections and the end of Cyprus’s EU Presidency, with a potential timeline of July 2026. Confidence-building measures also featured prominently in the discussion, as they continue to be viewed as a key tool for maintaining at least a basic level of dialogue between the two sides.
Erhürman described the meeting as “productive and useful”, suggesting that despite political stagnation, contacts at the diplomatic level are continuing. Other sources have confirmed this information, reinforcing the picture of cautious diplomatic movement ahead of the summer.
However, the launch of a new UN initiative is far from guaranteed. Sources familiar with the process say the Secretary-General is expected to move forward jointly with his personal envoy, Maria Angela Holguin, only if tangible signs of progress emerge by July. In practical terms, this would require some form of momentum demonstrating that both sides are prepared to take a next step, particularly on confidence-building measures.
During her last visit to Cyprus, Holguin warned that she would not return in the absence of movement pointing to concrete developments.
Failing that, the initiative risks remaining at the level of intent, once again highlighting how fragile the prospects remain for the resumption of substantive negotiations.