In a last-minute development before the conclusion of the “silent procedure” for the resolution on the renewal of UNFICYP’s mandate, the Russian delegation at the United Nations Security Council raised objections, prompting a fresh round of diplomatic consultations.
According to sources, Russia voiced concerns last Friday over specific references in the draft resolution regarding misinformation and drone usage, sparking a need for further dialogue among the Council’s permanent members.
Efforts over the weekend by the five permanent members aimed to refine the resolution’s language, with plans to reintroduce it into a “silent procedure.” Should no further objections emerge, the resolution is set to pass, extending the UN peacekeeping force’s presence in Cyprus for another year.
The appointment of Maria Angela Holguin Cuellar as the new UN envoy marks a renewed push to address the long-standing Cyprus deadlock. Holguin arrived in Cyprus last night, embarking on an extensive series of meetings starting today.
UN Secretary-General’s spokesperson, Stephan Dujarric, announced that Holguin is scheduled to meet with both the Greek Cypriot leader, Nikos Christodoulides, and the Turkish Cypriot leader, Ersin Tatar, on January 30. Her visit also includes engagements with a broad spectrum of stakeholders, from local authorities to civil society groups, including women’s and youth organisations.
The Cypriot government has welcomed Holguin’s arrival as a catalyst for progress in the Cyprus peace process. Government spokesperson, Konstantinos Letymbiotis, emphasised the administration’s “sincere political will” to reinvigorate dialogue and noted the significance of this new phase in negotiations, aligning with past UN Security Council resolutions.
In anticipation of Holguin’s visit, Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar convened a strategic meeting with political leaders in the north. The session, reported by Turkish Cypriot media, included discussions with heads of parties represented in their “parliament,” alongside the “foreign minister,” Tahsin Ertugruloglu, Tatar’s special representative Gunes Onar, and Ozlem Ince, the coordinator for Technical Committees.
AKEL’s General Secretary, Stefanos Stefanou, endorsed the UN’s move to appoint an envoy, urging for a continuation of the stalled dialogue at Crans-Montana. Speaking at an EDON event in Troodos, Stefanou highlighted the importance of the UN’s renewed focus on Cyprus, advocating for the preservation of prior negotiation convergences and readiness to proceed under the Guterres framework.
“The President of the Republic should use the meeting with the personal envoy to convey the position of the Greek Cypriot side, that we want the continuation of negotiations from where they were interrupted in 2017 in Crans-Montana, that in our view the convergences should be preserved, and that we are ready for negotiation on the basis of the Guterres framework,” he said.
He also noted AKEL’s consistent position, recently reiterated in a letter to the Republic’s President and during the last National Council session, advocating for the resumption of talks from the point of interruption.
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