The United Nations Secretary-General informed President Christodoulides that Rosemary DiCarlo will soon visit Cyprus for consultations ahead of convening a multilateral conference.
President Christodoulides proposed to Hakan Fidan a direct dialogue between Nicosia and Ankara to better coordinate and prepare for the multilateral conference on the Cyprus issue, which may take place before the end of the year.
On the sidelines of an international conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, President Christodoulides held a second meeting in a matter of days with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
According to sources, during their conversation, the President proposed to the Turkish Foreign Minister the possibility of a direct dialogue between Cyprus and Turkey. This dialogue would support the efforts of the UN Secretary-General to organize an informal multilateral conference.
The Christodoulides-Fidan meeting was preceded by a brief discussion between the President and the UN Secretary-General at the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) in Baku.
Government sources told Phileleftheros that during this brief meeting, the UN Secretary-General shared that plans for a broader meeting are advancing in line with discussions stemming from an informal dinner on October 15, with all parties in agreement. It was also noted that in the coming period, UN Assistant Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo will visit to coordinate and carry out on-site preparations. From Nicosia’s perspective, it appears the UN Secretary-General “is very interested in achieving concrete outcomes from this meeting”.
As for the composition of the multilateral meeting, it appears likely to mirror the setup of the last Cyprus Conference held in 2017 in Crans-Montana, Switzerland. This would include the two leaders, the three guarantor countries, and the United Nations.
Government sources in Nicosia have denied reports suggesting that the UK would only have an observer role at the informal multilateral conference. They noted that the UK will participate with the same status as in the past.
Addressing rumours of representation by the Deputy Minister for European Affairs, these sources reminded that at Crans-Montana, “Sir Alan Duncan, the UK’s Minister for European Affairs, was present”.
Victoras Papadopoulos, Director of the President’s Press Office, told state TV that President Christodoulides conveyed to Hakan Fidan that dialogue is essential for resolving any issues.
He also reminded him that there is a window of opportunity from the European Union, which could create a mutually beneficial situation if, as he mentioned, the conclusions of the European Council are implemented.
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