An informal conference on the Cyprus issue begins today in Geneva, convened by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, who aims to achieve a minimum agreement that would enable dialogue towards resuming official negotiations on the divided island.
The UN Secretary-General’s intentions remain the unknown factor in this informal conference, with his diplomatic approach kept closely guarded, causing some anxiety among participants.
All five participating parties have largely revealed their positions in the lead-up to the talks, though this does not necessarily indicate their final stance. The Secretary-General himself has maintained a strategic silence, creating uncertainty about the conference’s direction.
Why it matters
The positioning and approach of the UN Secretary-General carries particular importance, as his actions will significantly influence the prospects of the informal Geneva conference.
A minimum agreement based on a roadmap would send a positive signal regarding Cyprus peace efforts while committing all participants to subsequent steps in the process.
Key concerns
With limited information available, predicting the United Nations’ diplomatic strategy remains challenging, generating both uncertainty and apprehension among stakeholders.
The greatest concern involves potential experimentation by the Secretary-General regarding the negotiation framework that might affect previously achieved convergences between the parties.
Initial discussions
Participants hope to gauge the Secretary-General’s intentions at tonight’s working dinner scheduled for 7 p.m., to which Guterres has invited the five delegation heads, each accompanied by one advisor. President Christodoulides will be accompanied by negotiator Menelaos Menelaou.
This first meeting is expected to reveal the UN Secretary-General’s objectives and expectations from the five parties gathered in Geneva.
Diplomatic sources suggest the Secretary-General will likely expect responses from participants the following day, before proceeding to the plenary session of the informal conference.
Presidential perspective
In Nicosia, President Christodoulides adopted what his office described as a constructive approach, hoping this would contribute towards achieving progress during the Geneva meetings.
“In just a few hours I will travel to Geneva, fully aware of our goals and objectives, with the expectation that the informal expanded meeting will signal the continuation of initiatives to resume negotiations for resolving the Cyprus issue,” the President stated during his memorial address at the 31st Annual Memorial Service for Theophilos Georgiades in Aglantzia.
Limited expectations
According to President Christodoulides, “the public rhetoric from the other side and their stance thus far limit our expectations. Nevertheless, we will utilise every opportunity to create the conditions for resuming dialogue that, yes, will lead to the liberation and reunification of our homeland. We owe it to all those who sacrificed for this land, we owe it to our children, we owe it to our country.”
The President emphasised that the objective remains achieving a solution that will definitively terminate the current unacceptable situation and allow Cyprus to evolve into a modern, united European state that offers all its legitimate residents the opportunity to live and thrive in conditions of security and prosperity.
Former negotiators express pessimism
Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot former negotiators expressed varying degrees of pessimism regarding the prospects of the informal conference in statements to the Cyprus News Agency.
Former Greek Cypriot negotiators George Iacovou and Andreas Mavroyiannis, along with former Turkish Cypriot negotiators Ozdil Nami and Kudret Ozersay, converged on several critical conclusions, including that the distance between the two sides is greater than ever and that Turkey has strategically shifted towards supporting a two-state solution rather than federation.
All referenced the Crans-Montana talks in 2017 as a critical turning point, with Nami describing them as “the closest point to a solution.” Regarding the upcoming Geneva meeting, they summarised that the best outcome would be a procedural agreement, such as appointing a new UN envoy and establishing working groups to continue dialogue.
The Cyprus delegation arrived in Geneva last night, with meetings officially commencing today.
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