President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, described Wednesday evening’s dinner hosted by UN Secretary-General António Guterres in New York as “an interesting first discussion”, as he exited the United Nations building later that night.
The dinner, part of an informal extended meeting on the Cyprus issue, took place between 19:00 and 20:00 New York time. However, President Christodoulides remained inside until shortly after 21:00, reportedly holding further discussions following the main event.
The informal gathering brought together some key stakeholders in the Cyprus issue:
- President Nikos Christodoulides
- Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar
- Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan
- Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis
- UK Minister for Europe, Stephen Doughty
- UN Special Envoy María Ángela Holguín
- UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo
- UN Special Representative and Head of UNFICYP, Colin Stewart
Following the dinner, Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan were seen leaving the UN building together around 21:00, without making any statements. Notably, the two men were observed walking arm-in-arm as they departed.
When asked by a journalist outside the building why certain participants stayed longer after the dinner, President Christodoulides responded: “It was an interesting discussion, that’s why.” He added that the talks constituted “an interesting first conversation — let’s see how it develops tomorrow.”
Private meeting between Christodoulides and Fidan
According to sources, after the dinner, President Christodoulides and Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan remained inside the UN building for a private conversation. Fidan departed the premises accompanied by Tatar following the meeting.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Cypriot President also held a bilateral meeting with the Greek Foreign Minister, Giorgos Gerapetritis. A similar bilateral meeting is scheduled for today with the UK Minister for Europe, Stephen Doughty.
Fidan’s stance: Dialogue, but with respect for Turkish Cypriot rights
In remarks made on the sidelines of the informal gathering, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan expressed Ankara’s continued commitment to dialogue on the Cyprus issue. However, he also underscored that Turkey would not accept any solution that disregards the rights of the Turkish Cypriot community.
“We are very constructive on this matter,” Fidan stated, outlining Turkey’s vision for a resolution based on the island’s “realities” and focused on ensuring “stability for both communities.”
He highlighted that Turkey participates in these talks alongside the leaders of both the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities, and as one of the three guarantor powers — along with Greece and the United Kingdom — stating that the composition of the meeting was representative of the structure of the Cyprus negotiations.
According to Fidan, the ultimate goal is to forge a vision grounded in the current realities of Cyprus, one which would contribute to broader regional and international stability. This, he claimed, would benefit both communities on the island.
He said that they always act with a win-win formula and they never fall short on empathy towards the other side. However, they cannot accept a framework that ignores the rights of the Turkish Cypriots and that the existing status quo continues to shape an environment that overlooks those rights.
Yes to dialogue — but not at any cost
Fidan also emphasised that Turkey has never avoided dialogue or negotiations. He reiterated Ankara’s readiness to continue discussions based on previous decisions, while also exploring new approaches.
He stated that Turkey had never been a country that refused negotiations or avoided addressing issues in a civilised, rational, and mature manner. He expressed hope that the ongoing exchange of views and negotiations would yield outcomes beneficial to both sides.
He concluded by noting that they had some scenarios and ideas in mind. He mentioned that certain decisions had been taken during the previous session, and that their continuation would naturally be discussed. He added that the meeting would also explore what new decisions could be taken and what types of agreements could be reached.
Summary
The latest round of informal UN-facilitated talks in New York brought together all key players in the Cyprus issue. While the mood appears cautiously optimistic, and there are clear signals of renewed engagement, underlying positions remain firm. The coming days may be pivotal in determining whether this “interesting first discussion” evolves into substantive progress.
Also read: Cyprus meeting begins today in New York
With information from: CNA
