President Nikos Christodoulides said he will raise challenges in the buffer zone and other “negative developments” during his meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman, as part of ongoing efforts to advance the Cyprus talks buffer zone discussions.
Speaking on Friday during a visit to the “Makarios III” Technical and Vocational Education and Training School in Nicosia, the President said he expects a “substantive discussion” covering both confidence-building measures and the substance of the Cyprus problem.
Buffer zone issues on the agenda
The President confirmed that buffer zone challenges will be raised directly in the meeting, alongside what he described as broader negative developments affecting the climate for negotiations.
He warned that such developments may impact efforts to restart talks, stressing that they contribute to a more difficult negotiating environment in the context of the Cyprus talks buffer zone process.
Focus on confidence-building measures
Christodoulides said there are also “positive developments” regarding confidence-building measures (CBMs), noting recent communication with the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy Maria Angela Holguín.
He added that the efforts of the UN Secretary-General are being further strengthened, with ongoing contacts involving all relevant parties.
The President expressed hope for a positive outcome that would lead to a broader conference and the resumption of full negotiations.
For the Greek Cypriot side, he said, this process should ultimately lead to the formal restart of talks.
UN-led diplomatic efforts continue
Christodoulides noted that the UN Secretary-General launched immediate consultations following their March meeting in Brussels, with discussions continuing among all involved sides.
These diplomatic efforts remain central to the broader Cyprus talks buffer zone framework and the search for a settlement.
Election readiness also highlighted
Referring to the upcoming parliamentary elections, the President assured that the state mechanism is fully prepared to ensure smooth electoral procedures, despite the high number of candidates.
Source: CNA
Also read: President meets Erhürman this afternoon, no media present
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