The first photo from the Guterres - Christodoulides - Tatar meeting.

One hour has passed since the start of the informal trilateral meeting in New York. The discussions are ongoing.

At the scheduled time of 7:00 p.m. New York time (02:00 Cyprus time), the trilateral meeting between UN Secretary-General António Guterres, President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides, and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar began.

Ersin Tatar was the first to arrive at the United Nations building, followed by President Christodoulides, who was accompanied by Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos and Government Spokesperson Constantinos Letymbiotis.

At the UN headquarters, specifically on the 38th floor where the informal dinner is set to take place, the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, and the Turkish Cypriot leader, Ersin Tatar, arrived just before 2:00 a.m.

As Offsite News reminds us, the trilateral meeting taking place tonight in New York marks the first such meeting in five years. The last trilateral meeting on Cyprus occurred in November 2019 in Berlin.

This latest effort by António Guterres is essentially his third attempt since the collapse of the Crans-Montana talks. Specifically, Guterres’ first attempt took place in 2019, when he invited Nicos Anastasiades and Mustafa Akıncı to a trilateral meeting in Berlin on November 25, 2019, at the Adlon Kempinski Hotel, aiming to maintain momentum in the Cyprus peace process.

Following the trilateral meeting, Guterres issued a six-paragraph statement referencing various documents, as well as UN agreements and resolutions. However, this largely reiterated the UN's previously stated positions.

Guterres' second attempt occurred exactly 3.5 years ago, in April 2021, during the five-party conference in Geneva. These negotiations ended in a deadlock.

Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar stated that he has never avoided dialogue and communication, which is why he will meet the Greek Cypriot leader at an informal dinner. During the meeting, Tatar plans to reiterate his willingness to participate in official negotiations, provided the sovereign equality and equal international status of Turkish Cypriots are acknowledged.

According to reports from the occupied areas, Tatar spoke to the "Bayrak" television station before the dinner, where he mentioned that he will raise several issues. These include direct flights, trade, and contact opportunities to overcome the "embargoes" imposed on Turkish Cypriots. He added that he will explain how the stance of the Greek Cypriot side, particularly concerning the construction sector (referring to arrests related to the exploitation of Greek Cypriot properties in the occupied areas), tourism, and education, has caused tension rather than reconciliation "between the two peoples," as he put it.

Tatar will also express his readiness to cooperate with the Greek Cypriot side on issues such as energy, water, irregular migration, cultural heritage, and the economy.

He expects the dinner to last approximately two hours and plans to make a statement to the press afterward.

During yesterday's meeting between Nikos Christodoulides and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London, government sources revealed that the British side did not offer any new ideas regarding the continuation of the Cyprus negotiations. Instead, it was the Cypriot side that raised the issue of the Cyprus problem. According to the same sources, nearly half of the discussion focused on Cyprus' role in the broader region, marking a shift from previous meetings where the focus was primarily on the Cyprus issue.

However, a British official who participated in the meeting emphasized two key points of interest for the UK. First, the UK's principled stance on the form of a solution, aligned with the UN framework. Second, its desire to be present at any potential five-party conference as one of the guarantor powers. The UK, at this time, does not support discussions of a "4+1" format, which would include both sides, Greece, Turkey, and the UN Secretary-General. The Greek Cypriot side interprets the lack of mention of the Cyprus issue in the official Downing Street statement as open to interpretation.

The interest from international and European media is practically nonexistent. Coverage of tonight's trilateral meeting appears in only a few international outlets. It remains to be seen whether the outcome of the meeting will prove equally unworthy of attention from the global media.

What is the history of negotiations on resolving the Cyprus issue between the two communities from 1974 to today?

Read here.

The Greek Cypriot side views the upcoming informal dinner in New York as a potential positive step towards restarting Cyprus talks. However, the details of how the process will unfold remain uncertain. Guterres has not yet shared his intentions with the involved parties, leaving both the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot sides unclear about the next steps.

One possible outcome is that Guterres might propose a five-party conference, bilateral meetings, or discussions on Confidence Building Measures. There is also speculation that elements of the Guterres Framework, including issues of troops, guarantees, and governance, may be incorporated into future negotiations.

The involvement of the UN's personal envoy, Maria Angela Holguin Cuéllar, is also in question, as her contract has ended, though she has expressed interest in participating in future steps.

While there is optimism about progress, there is also concern that the talks may face delays or even a dead end, depending on Guterres' decisions. The upcoming dinner will likely set the tone for the next phase of the process.

In a new post on the platform X, the former president of DISY and former presidential candidate for the Republic of Cyprus urges the president to choose whether he will become the president of a solution or of division.

"President, it's now or never!
Choose how you will be remembered in history: as the President of Solution or Division?"

In his piece for FastForward, lawyer and former presidential candidate Achilleas Demetriades, ahead of today's trilateral meeting in New York, outlines the necessary steps to ensure that this opportunity is not wasted.

Read here.

Former Foreign Minister Erato Kozakou Markoulli views the informal dinner in New York between Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides, Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, and UN Secretary-General António Guterres as a positive development. She believes the reappointment of María Ángela Holguín Cuéllar as the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy could be the most favorable outcome.

Markoulli emphasized that while no one knows what will happen, the key lies with Guterres and Holguín’s upcoming report, which is expected to be a primary discussion point. She does not expect significant discussions on core issues like governance or security, as Tatar has previously stated he will not engage in such matters. Instead, procedural topics might be addressed, including the process for restarting negotiations. Markoulli also highlighted Holguín’s support for an inclusive process involving civil society. A positive development on the Cyprus issue could act as a catalyst for resolving other regional issues, she concluded.

President Christodoulides is accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs Constantinos Kombos, Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis, Greek Cypriot negotiator Menelaos Menelaou, and the Director of the President’s Diplomatic Office, Doros Venezis.

According to Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis, the President approaches the meeting with a sincere political will to initiate a discussion that aligns with international law and the United Nations framework. Letymbiotis emphasized that the objective is to have a fruitful discussion that will serve as the starting point for future negotiations.

Following the meeting, President Christodoulides will make statements to the media. He is expected to depart for Brussels later in the evening to participate in the European Council meetings.

Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides traveled from London to New York to participate in an informal dinner with Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, hosted by UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

The dinner is scheduled for 7:00 PM New York time (2:00 AM Wednesday, Cyprus time) and will take place at the United Nations headquarters.

In statements made to the media after his 40-minute meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer yesterday, Christodoulides emphasized his commitment to doing everything possible to achieve a positive result.