Cypriot leaders to meet in New York

President Nicos Anastasiades confirmed a trilateral meeting on the Cyprus issue would be held in New York, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly later this month.

Anastasiades told reporters in Athens; he would have a working breakfast with Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar and the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York without specifying the exact date.

Diplomatic sources told CNA the UN Secretary-General would use the opportunity provided by the simultaneous presence of Anastasiades and Tatar in New York to have a joint meeting to try and break the deadlock.

It is likely, Guterres will also hold separate meetings with the two leaders.

The backdrop of the meeting is unchanged, with the Turkish Cypriot side insisting on a two-state solution which the Greek Cypriots outrightly reject as outside the UN framework.

Anastasiades has underlined in a letter sent on August 30 to Guterres his readiness to participate in a trilateral meeting with Guterres and Tatar.

When asked about the possibility of having such a meeting, Tatar said he is always open to dialogue and any unofficial contacts to express his positions in detail.

In April, diplomats had tried to make headway in resuming Cyprus talks abandoned since a failed Swiss conference in 2017.

The April gathering in Geneva, dubbed the U.N.+5, was attended by the foreign ministers of Cyprus’ three guarantors – Greece, Turkey, and Britain.

That also had a negative outcome after Guterres declared not enough common ground had been secured.

President Anastasiades departs for New York after the EUMED Summit on Friday in Athens.