President Christodoulides has prepared proposals to advance the Cyprus settlement process ahead of his Friday meeting with UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy María Ángela Holguín, whilst confirming messages were sent to the White House regarding the five Greek Cypriots held in prison for two months in the occupied north.
Christodoulides announced his readiness for the 12 September meeting during statements to journalists at the annual memorial service for former House President and Foreign Minister Alekos Michailides in Milikouri village.
Holguín will arrive in Nicosia mid-week for meetings with both sides, meeting Christodoulides on Friday before discussions with Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar on 15 September. The UN envoy’s visit precedes a trilateral meeting in New York involving the UN Secretary-General.
When questioned by journalists about communication with the White House regarding the detained Greek Cypriots, Christodoulides confirmed that bilateral communications were sent. “As you know, messages were also sent from American Senators in various directions and we hope these efforts will bring results,” he stated.
The President clarified that occupying Turkey, not the illegal regime, bears responsibility for the detention of five Greek Cypriots, emphasising actions occur “with Turkey’s instructions or agreement, which illegally occupies territory of the Republic of Cyprus.”
Despite Holguín’s previous postponement for personal reasons, Christodoulides noted her visit demonstrates “the UN Secretary-General’s political will for positive developments, both towards what we have agreed and the major goal of resuming negotiations.”
The President referenced Council of Europe Secretary-General Alain Berset’s visit to Cyprus as significant, connecting it directly to ongoing efforts regarding the illegally detained compatriots.
Deputy Government Spokesperson Yiannis Antoniou separately declared Sunday that Christodoulides will approach the New York trilateral meeting with sincere intentions to facilitate Holguín’s mission and create pathways for direct negotiation resumption.
Speaking at a memorial for the fallen of Agios Amvrosios Kyrenia community in 1974, Antoniou emphasised Cyprus’s commitment to settlement “leading to transformation of the Republic of Cyprus into a modern European state, without occupation troops, without guarantors with interventionist rights.”
The memorial commemorated thirteen community members lost during the 1974 Turkish invasion, with six identified as fallen and seven remaining missing persons.
