United Nations Secretary‑General António Guterres is scheduled to visit divided Cyprus at the end of July to advance peacebuilding initiatives between Greek‑ and Turkish‑Cypriot communities, according to a UN spokesperson.
The trip arrives amid increasing speculation that the United Nations will intensify its efforts to resolve the longstanding division of Cyprus before the Secretary‑General’s term ends this year.
He is expected to meet with leaders of both Greek‑ and Turkish‑Cypriot communities from 27 to 29 July, said spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, underscoring his firm commitment to the Cyprus question.
“He will meet with Greek‑Cypriot and Turkish‑Cypriot leaders, other stakeholders, and discuss advancing the peace process and promoting stability on the island, including through the UN peacekeeping operation UNFICYP,” Dujarric added.
A diplomatic source in Nicosia indicated that the schedule includes a joint meeting with the two leaders in the UN‑administered buffer zone that has separated the communities for decades.
Cyprus became divided in 1974 after Turkey invaded the northern part of the island in response to a Greek‑backed coup. The seeds of division were sown soon after independence from Britain in 1960, when a power‑sharing arrangement between Greek‑ and Turkish‑Cypriots broke down amid violence.
The internationally recognised government of Cyprus is based in the south and is administered by Greek Cypriots, while the north is governed by Turkish Cypriots.
The most recent substantive negotiations collapsed in 2017 over disputes regarding Turkey’s proposed role in a federated Cyprus featuring two self‑governing regions linked by a strong central authority.
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