George Kakouris
A letter, which had been in the works for the past few weeks as part of a European Union-United Nations collaboration on the Cyprus issue, became the focal point from the very first day of the informal five-party meeting in Geneva. Although the talks didn’t delve into core issues during the dinner with the five leaders (Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot leaders and the guarantor powers), a more meaningful discussion followed the dinner between President Christodoulides and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, lasting around 15-20 minutes.
In the days leading up to the meeting, the Republic of Cyprus had been in communication with the European Union, specifically about having an EU representative attend the Geneva discussions. These talks, as reported by Kathimerini, were tied to the content of the letter and the EU's planned intervention. Although the initial request for an EU Commissioner to attend was unsuccessful, the EU responded through the letter.
This letter, sent by European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to UN Secretary-General António Guterres (with copies sent to the two Cypriot leaders), followed multiple phone calls between President Christodoulides, Costa, Guterres, and von der Leyen. In it, the EU leaders clearly outlined their stance on the Cyprus issue, emphasizing their expectations for the EU’s role in restarting talks and future negotiations.
The Deputy Minister for EU Affairs, Marilena Raouna, had a meeting with the head of the European Commission's Cyprus Settlement Support Unit, Julia Bertezzolo
In the letter, Costa and von der Leyen wrote that:
- The EU continues to support a comprehensive solution within the framework of the UN, based on the bi-communal, bi-zonal federation (BBF) and UN Security Council resolutions, alongside the EU’s acquis.
- They acknowledged the work of Maria Angela Olguín, the UN’s personal envoy, and her role in bringing new momentum to the process.
- They expressed hope that the Geneva meeting would lead to progress, opening the door to official negotiations, while also welcoming the outcome of the informal trilateral meeting in New York.
- They reaffirmed the EU’s willingness to take an active role and intensify its efforts to support the process under UN leadership.
Ahead of these developments, Deputy Minister for EU Affairs Marilena Raouna met with Julia Bertetsolo, head of the EU’s Cyprus Settlement Support Unit.
How the Letter Came About
Government Spokesperson Constantinos Letymbiotis explained to journalists that after the morning session of the National Council and a phone call with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, President Christodoulides spoke to Antonio Costa, who told him he would be having a conversation with UN Secretary-General Guterres.
Following this, Costa informed Christodoulides that the Cyprus issue is seen as a European problem, and that the EU is committed to paving the way for a solution. He emphasized that the EU is not considering any alternative solutions and that the EU has a strategic interest in ensuring stability in Cyprus and the region. Shortly afterward, President Christodoulides also spoke to von der Leyen, who then took the next step by sending the letter.
Although the letter is dated March 17, its preparation and discussions with the EU had been happening for some time, as such EU interventions don’t happen overnight.
It’s worth noting that on Tuesday night, after the informal meetings in Geneva, Antonio Guterres will have an informal dinner with Costa and von der Leyen in Brussels before attending part of the European Council on Thursday. Although the dinner and Guterres’ visit to Brussels will cover a broad range of international issues, it’s expected that the three leaders will touch on the results from the Geneva discussions—even if briefly.
Dinner and Dessert
After the dinner, the government spokesperson referred to the event as a social gathering of the five leaders, where the Cyprus issue wasn’t on the agenda. The aim of UN Secretary-General Guterres was to “break the ice”, allowing for a more substantive discussion of the parties' positions in the bilateral talks the next day, and later during the full session with all the participants.
Cooperation is key, Tatar said.
Cooperation Is Key, Says Tatar After Dinner
According to information from the dinner and statements from Mr. Tatar as he left, the conversation during the dinner mostly focused on international developments. However, a more meaningful conversation took place afterward—perhaps as a “dessert” of sorts—between President Christodoulides and Turkey’s Foreign Minister Fidan.
Details of what was discussed between Christodoulides and Fidan—with their advisors present—haven’t been fully disclosed. Officially, the government spokesperson described it as a social conversation. However, as is known, President Christodoulides had recently met with Fidan, for instance, during the European Political Community summit in Budapest last November.
Fidan Briefs Turkish-Cypriot Leaders
The briefing of Turkish Cypriot political leaders in Fidan's presence.
Day Two
The second, more substantial day of the informal summit kicks off with bilateral meetings with UN Secretary-General Guterres, followed by a series of individual talks, with the last two being with Turkey’s Foreign Minister and President Christodoulides (at 10:40 local time, 11:40 Cyprus time). It seems the other parties will also have the chance for separate talks, such as Christodoulides’ meeting with UK Minister of State for Europe Stephen Dowd.
After the bilateral meetings at the Intercontinental Hotel, which are expected to wrap up by midday (around 11:00 local time), the five delegations will meet in the plenary session of the summit, scheduled from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm (12:00 - 3:00 Cyprus time). This session will focus on what the next steps are for the Cyprus issue.
In the bilateral meeting between Christodoulides and Guterres, the President will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Konstantinos Kombos, Deputy Minister for EU Affairs Marilena Raouna, Government Spokesperson Constantinos Letymbiotis, National Security Advisor Tasos Tzionis, and Greek-Cypriot negotiator Marios Menelaou.
In the plenary session, along with President Christodoulides, will be Menelaou, Letymbiotis, and Raouna. The legal advisors will be Achilleas Aemilianides and Mary-Anne Stavrinidou.
Day two continues with bilateral meetings of the UN Secretary-General and Plenary
*This article was translated from its Greek original
