United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called the opening of four new crossing points along the Green Line a “necessary step” towards rebuilding trust and moving forward on the Cyprus issue. His remarks, published in a draft report on the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), also stressed the importance of fully implementing the Green Line Regulation as agreed during the Geneva talks.
The opening of four new Cyprus crossings was one of the confidence-building measures welcomed by Guterres, who highlighted the need for continued engagement and compromise from both communities. He praised the informal summit in Geneva and welcomed the decision to meet again in the same format later in July, along with the appointment of a Personal Envoy and two follow-up meetings on the island.
“These are targeted efforts to find a way forward,” Guterres noted, urging all parties to avoid unilateral actions that could raise tensions or jeopardise negotiations. He also expressed satisfaction with the renewed activity between the island’s two leaders and their representatives, coordinated under UN auspices.
According to the UN Security Council’s July agenda, a closed-door briefing will take place on 14 July, just days before a broader New York conference on 16-17 July. These discussions are expected to focus on both the UNFICYP mandate and the Secretary-General’s Good Offices.
Guterres’ draft remarks emphasise that further progress depends on political will and a “spirit of compromise” from all involved.
Read also: Cyprus talks in New York set for mid-July
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