Statements by the President of the Republic after the conclusion of the National Council meeting and the Plenary Session of the Informal Meeting on Cyprus in a broader format
The President of the Republic, Mr Nikos Christodoulides, participated yesterday in the Plenary Session of the Informal Meeting on Cyprus in a broader format, convened by the UN Secretary-General, Mr António Guterres, which took place at the UN building in Geneva.
Subsequently, the President of the Republic chaired a meeting of the National Council in Geneva, where he briefed attendees on the outcomes of the informal expanded meeting.
Following this, President Christodoulides made statements to journalists, saying: “Taking into account the public rhetoric we had been hearing from the other side before coming to Geneva, I want to express my satisfaction with the outcome and the fact that developments are moving in the right direction for the first time since 2017, as the UN Secretary-General himself stated during his press conference.
Today, an initial significant and positive step was taken towards the resumption of negotiations. That is the main goal; we are not there yet, but since 2017 – and I am using the words of the UN Secretary-General – a first significant step has been taken.
If I take something away from Geneva, I would like to highlight three key issues. There are, of course, many more – and we can discuss them further – but I would like to emphasise three as the most important.
The first is the UN Secretary-General’s decision to appoint a personal envoy, which will also address the major objective I mentioned earlier – the resumption of negotiations based on the agreed framework.
Secondly, I consider it significant that today we decided that at the end of July, another meeting of this broader format will take place to assess the progress achieved between now and then.
Thirdly, and particularly important, is the joint letter from the President of the European Commission and the President of the European Council to the UN Secretary-General, copied to me and Mr Tatar. This letter – and scripta manent – clearly defines, without allowing for any different interpretation, doubt, or alternative approach, the EU’s position on resolving the Cyprus issue. This, of course, also touches on EU-Turkey relations and Ankara’s aspirations.
I want to thank all the members of the National Council who were with me in Geneva. Over the past few days, we have had substantial discussions, open and honest dialogue, and a variety of views, ideas, and approaches were expressed, which were particularly helpful to me within the context of the meetings I had, especially today during the larger conference.
At the same time, I want to extend my sincere thanks to my associates – the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Deputy Minister for European Affairs, the Government Spokesperson, the entire press team, and my Diplomatic Office – because during this period, they worked extremely hard to achieve what I have mentioned: a first positive step towards the resumption of negotiations.
Of course, this great effort does not conclude today. I can say that this great effort begins today. We have a plan and a strategy on how we will continue on this path, and I will soon convene a special session of the National Council to further evaluate, in depth, everything that emerged from the broader meeting in Geneva and to determine our specific course of action up to the end of July, when the next meeting in the same format will take place.
Finally, I would also like to thank all of you, the media. I consider your strong presence a sign of the Cypriot people’s interest in our major national issue – the Cyprus problem.”
Σήμερα έγινε ένα πρώτο σημαντικό, θετικό βήμα προς την κατεύθυνση της επανέναρξης των συνομιλιών, 🇨🇾 pic.twitter.com/JbP82FNNH5
— NikosChristodoulides (@Christodulides) March 18, 2025
Also read: Plenary of informal meeting on Cyprus underway in Geneva
