UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is disappointed over the lack of progress in resuming Cyprus talks and has called on both sides not to miss other opportunities for dialogue.
The comments came in Guterres’ draft report on his Good Offices Mission and the separate one on Unficyp’s mandate, and ahead of the expected formal announcement of a new UN envoy, named as Maria Angela Holguin Cuellar.
In the draft Unficyp report, Guterres said that on March 4, 2024, the United Nations in Cyprus would mark 60 years of continuous and concerted efforts to maintain peace and stability on the island and to help Cypriots find a mutually acceptable resolution to their differences.
“This milestone is a sobering reminder of just how long the people of Cyprus have been waiting for a resolution,” he said.
For almost 50 of those years, in the absence of a formal ceasefire agreement, Unifcyp peacekeepers have successfully de-escalated tensions in the buffer zone and prevented conflict, the report added.
“Recent developments both on the island and in the region have underscored that conflicts, which may appear frozen on the surface, often continue to simmer underneath. As the divide grows wider year after year, there is an increasing realisation on both sides that the prospects for a solution that everyone can accept are gradually fading. I urge both leaders not to let any more opportunities for dialogue slip past,” Guterres said.
He said the UN remained steadfast in its commitment to a peaceful resolution of the Cyprus issue. “However, it becomes clearer with every passing year that the divide between the sides is growing, gradually eroding the prospects of finding a mutually acceptable political settlement.”
The UN chief said that while the underlying positions of the parties on the peace process remain far apart, he would continue to encourage the two leaders to be open to mutually acceptable modalities for dialogue at their level, as he believes this remains crucial for finding a way forward.
Guterres also referred to the “significant increase in the number and severity of military violations” on the island during the reporting period, saying it was a major concern for the prospects of a peaceful resolution of the Cyprus problem. For this reason, he recommends that the force’s mandate be renewed until January 31, 2025
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