GC Press: Guterres Visit To Cyprus Aims To Lay Groundwork For New Talks

Guterres' first visit to the island since taking office dominated the front pages of Greek Cypriot newspapers.

Politis: "A Sign Of Persistence From António Guterres... He Is Not Giving Up On Cyprus, Arriving With A Dual Objective And A Five-Party Conference Plan."

According to the newspaper, Guterres aims to shape the agenda for a "critical and result-oriented" informal enlarged meeting expected in September.

Diplomatic sources believe the visit is linked to Guterres' recent contacts with the Turkish side.

Through separate and joint meetings with President Tufan Erhürman and Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides, as well as meetings with civil society representatives, Guterres is expected to assess the scope for "genuine flexibility."

The newspaper said Guterres will focus on advancing the peace process through the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) and supporting stability on the island. UN Personal Envoy María Ángela Holguín is also expected to be in Cyprus during the same period.

According to the report, Guterres will meet Erhürman at the Presidency and Christodoulides at the Presidential Palace on July 28. He will also hold meetings with both negotiators, bicommunal technical committees and civil society organisations.

On July 29, Guterres, Erhürman and Christodoulides are expected to hold a trilateral meeting at the residence of the UN Special Representative and Head of UNFICYP in the buffer zone. A joint press conference, at which "important announcements" on the Cyprus issue are expected, is planned afterwards.

According to the newspaper, Guterres has two main objectives.

The first is to hold high-level consultations with the island's leaders to determine the agenda for a possible informal five-party conference in September.

The report said Guterres wants to avoid another inconclusive meeting and ensure that any future conference is result-oriented. If efforts to restart negotiations succeed, he is expected to seek agreement on a timetable for the entire process.

His second objective is to encourage civil society organisations on both sides to play a more active role in the peace process.

The newspaper also noted that the Secretary-General's regional tour, which includes Syria, Jordan and Cyprus, will depend on the security situation in the Middle East. Diplomatic sources said a serious escalation involving Iran could lead to the cancellation of the trip.

The report added that the visit comes at a time when holding a new enlarged informal meeting before the end of the summer appears unlikely, making the timing particularly significant.

Diplomatic sources linked Guterres' decision to visit Cyprus to his recent contacts with the Turkish side, especially Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, during which UN officials reportedly identified "signs that do not justify abandoning the effort."

According to the newspaper, the visit is intended to send a message to all parties that the UN remains committed to the process and wishes to maintain momentum until conditions emerge for the resumption of substantive negotiations.

Alithia: First Visit By Guterres, First UN Secretary-General Visit Since 2010

Under the headline "Guterres Raises The Stakes On Cyprus... The Secretary-General Takes The Initiative Personally And Arrives On July 27," Alithia noted that this will be Guterres' first visit to Cyprus as UN Secretary-General and the first by a UN chief since Ban Ki-moon's visit in 2010.

The newspaper said Guterres is now taking personal charge of efforts that had previously been conducted through UN Personal Envoy María Ángela Holguín, sending a strong political message that the UN wants to capitalise on the momentum created by her diplomatic activity.

It also highlighted that Guterres' visit will coincide with the presence in Cyprus of UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo and Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix.

The report said the UN's increased activity is being matched by the European Union, pointing to the appointment of Raffaele Fitto as the European Commission's Special Representative for Cyprus as evidence of coordinated efforts between Brussels and the UN to link progress on the Cyprus issue with Turkey-EU relations.

According to the newspaper, there is a perception in the Greek Cypriot community that the UN and the EU are working in parallel for the first time in many years, although this does not yet mean that the political conditions for an agreement have been established.

The newspaper also referred to recent media reports, including an article published by The Independent, about possible new ideas or parameters for renewed efforts, but noted that neither the UN nor the Greek Cypriot administration has confirmed the existence of any official plan.

Fileleftheros: Guterres Seeking To Break The Deadlock

Fileleftheros headlined its report: "Guterres' Latest Moves... Arriving With His Entire Team From July 27-29... The UN Chief Pushes His Initiative Forward... Separate Meetings With The Two Leaders Followed By A Joint Meeting."

The newspaper commented that Guterres had decided to make a final push in the hope of breaking the deadlock that has persisted since 2017.

According to government sources, Holguín's planned meetings in Brussels have been postponed by several days, making it unlikely she will visit Cyprus next week. However, she is expected to be on the island during Guterres' visit.

The newspaper also reported that Guterres' visit will not be the only high-level visit related to the Cyprus issue, with Raffaele Fitto also expected to visit both the region and Cyprus shortly afterwards.

Haravgi

Haravgi carried the headline: "Guterres Takes Up The Cyprus Issue... Three Days Of Critical Contacts In Cyprus Aimed At Restarting Negotiations And Preparing A New Informal Enlarged Meeting."