Maria Angela Holguin-Cuellar, the UN Secretary General’s Personal Envoy to Cyprus issued a statement on Friday reflecting on her first contacts with leaders and members of the civil society across the divide.
Her appointment marks the start of a fresh diplomatic effort aimed at resolving the longstanding division on the island.
During her visit, Holguin-Cuellar stressed the importance of inclusive dialogue, stating, “The objective was to make the first contact with the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders and listen to civil society actors, former negotiators, representatives of the international community, young people, academics, and other experts.”
Holguin-Cuellar,’s journey extended beyond Cyprus to Athens and Ankara, engaging with the guarantor powers in a bid to foster a conducive environment for dialogue.
The envoy’s approach is grounded in the belief that a comprehensive understanding of the issues at hand is crucial. “Diverse perspectives have enriched my understanding of the situation’s complexity,” she remarked.
Holguin-Cuellar will travel to London in early March. This will be followed by a return visit to Cyprus, where she aims to engage with political party leaders, civil society representatives, chambers of commerce, and economic stakeholders, alongside further discussions with the community leaders.
“In this initial phase, the search for common ground requires an exercise in attentive listening that allows for generating new questions in the conversation with decision-makers. Naturally, the cards are being put on the table, as in any conflict. The level of frustration felt by many, accumulated after several attempts at negotiation is perfectly understandable, therefore it is crucial to build trust, which has been seriously lacking, as a basic condition to build a future,” she concluded, calling for a measured approach to speculation and reaffirming her commitment to transparency and communication with the media.
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