Despite the absence of common ground between the two sides, Gen. UN Secretary Antonio Guterres in the Good Offices report, covering developments from June 13, 2024 to December 11, 2024, the leaders of the two sides at the dinner on October 15, 2024 agreed on positive steps. The need to bridge differences and rebuild trust is emphasized. Antonio Guterres calls on all stakeholders to ensure that the next meetings are open and constructive and calls for an agreement on the crossing points as a sign of political will.

As far as Varosia is concerned, Mr. Guterres reiterated that the United Nations position remains unchanged and called for full compliance with Resolutions 550 (1984) and 789 (1992).

The Secretary General reiterated his commitment to maintain the dialogue with the parties involved and the guarantor powers (Greece, Turkey, United Kingdom) underlining that support – internationally, but also within Cyprus – is vital to reach a lasting solution.

A discussion with the guarantor powers is encouraged to consider next steps, as there is hope for a mutually acceptable solution.

In addition, active technical committees, although functioning, are hampered by a lack of strong political will, says Gen. Secretary and points out that more support is needed from the leaders. “The EU’s continued support for these committees is commendable,” it says.

In more detail:

Relying on the work of his personal envoy, Maria Angela Holguin Cuellar, who completed her mission in July 2024, the Secretary General states that throughout this time he has collaborated with the leaders of the two communities and the guarantor powers (Greece, Turkey, United Kingdom). Following the discussions, the Secretary General invited Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulidis and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar to an informal dinner in New York on October 15. The two leaders agreed to hold in the near future an expanded informal meeting under the auspices of the Secretary-General and to explore the possibility of opening new crossing points on the island.

As stated in the report, “the informal meeting on 15 October raised hopes in both communities for progress towards the resumption of talks on the Cyprus issue. Discussions on opening new crossing points were welcomed by both communities and sparked public debate about the future of peace process”.

According to the report “relations between the guarantor powers Greece and Turkey have improved, with regular meetings at the leadership level confirming the commitment to tighten relations, which is considered positive for the Cyprus resolution process”.

The meetings of Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot political parties, under the auspices of the Slovak Embassy, ​​continued during this period, with the participation of 15 parties from all over the island. The parties stressed the need to de-escalate tension and return to negotiations, recognizing the unsatisfactory current situation.

The Religious Peace Initiative in Cyprus, said the report, which is under the auspices of the Embassy of Sweden, continued to promote cooperation between Christian and Muslim leaders.

“UNFICYP facilitated two pilgrimages to Hala Sultan Mosque in Larnaca, with the participation of more than 1,150 pilgrims,” ​​it said.

Civil society activity is reported to have increased, particularly among groups supporting reunification and the opening of new crossing points, despite continued disbelief over the possibility of a solution being reached.

The report notes that “on December 10, an informal meeting was held in Nicosia at the year-end reception hosted by the Deputy Special Adviser.”

Gen. Secretary points out that the mission of Good Services promoted contacts, cooperation and building trust on the island. Deputy Special Adviser Colin Stewart held 54 meetings with leaders, political parties, civil society organizations and international partners.

Continue dialog:

The dialogue continued through regular meetings of the Deputy Special Adviser with the negotiators of the two sides and through technical committee meetings on issues of common interest, such as health, culture and education. A total of around 100 meetings of the 12 technical committees were held during this period, with some, such as the Cultural Heritage and Crisis Committees, remaining particularly active.

At the same time, it is noted that projects were implemented such as the restoration of historical sites – e.g. the Evdim Mosque and the Church of Agios Theodores – and the Technical Commission for Crossing Points has completed discussions on the extension of the Agios Dometios/Metehan point, with the start of works planned for 2025.

It is recalled that the report of Gen. Secretary provides an update on the activities of the Secretary-General’s Good Office Mission under the guidance of the Deputy Special Adviser in Cyprus, Colin Stewart.