The UN’s personal envoy to Cyprus, María Ángela Holguín, has acknowledged that the Cyprus peace talks remain at an impasse, with no shared framework currently uniting the Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides.
Speaking to Politis newspaper, Holguín said that although the agreed basis for a solution remains the model of a bizonal, bicommunal federation- as endorsed by the UN Security Council- it has lost its unifying role. “One of the consequences of the failure at Crans-Montana is that the federation model no longer constitutes a common point of reference for both sides,” she noted.
She also emphasised that, four years after the informal 5+1 summit, the two sides’ positions remain “very far apart”. Holguín stressed that this reality must be acknowledged, adding that “it takes two to tango”.
Despite the lack of progress, she reaffirmed that the priority set by the UN Secretary-General for her mission is to help both sides move forward step by step- with the goal of building trust and establishing a new shared foundation for the future.
The comments cast doubt on the immediate prospects of reviving the Cyprus peace talks, but confirm the UN remains engaged in supporting dialogue, even amid deep division.
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