What happens in the coming weeks will determine the future of mired Cyprus reunification talks, the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative Elizabeth Spehar said on Tuesday.
She held talks with President Nicos Anastasiades before his trip to New York to address the UN general assembly where he will hold talks with the UN chief.
Spehar also “touched base” with Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci after a “very good conversation” with Anastasiades.
“I like to touch base with both of the leaders before they go to the General Assembly where both Mr. Anastasiades and Mr Akinci will be having bilateral meetings with the Secretary General,” Spehar told reporters.
The head of mission said there are important upcoming issues such a report to the Security Council on the UN’s good offices in Cyprus and the results of UN envoy Jane Holl Lute’s consultations with parties involved in the peace process.
“This is a very important period going forward as we know, because what is in that report, what is in the next report in January is of great interest to the Council in terms of how they understand the way ahead in the future.”
Spehar said she was “unaware” of any plans for UN chief Antonio Guterres to have a joint meeting with Anastasiades and Akinci in New York.
“In terms of a tripartite meeting I am not aware of anything of that sort that has been set up. In terms of Ms Lute’s report, she will be reporting to the Secretary General quite soon.”
On Monday, Anastasiades was in Athens to discuss next steps for Cyprus with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.
The president is scheduled to meet Guterres on 28 September in New York, a day after addressing the General Assembly. Guterres is set to meet the Turkish Cypriot leader on the 29 September.
Lute concluded her meetings with all interested parties with a meeting she had last week in Strasbourg with High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini and will submit a report on her contacts to the Secretary General.
Numerous UN-backed negotiations, aiming at reuniting the island under a federal roof, have failed to yield results. The latest round of talks crashed at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana last year.
