Erhürman and Christodoulides to Meet Tomorrow at 10:30am

The meeting, originally scheduled for September 2, was postponed following the Filo Jet disaster off Kyrenia. The two leaders are expected to discuss confidence-building measures, the methodology of the talks and substantive issues related to the Cyprus problem.

Ahead of tomorrow’s meeting, Presidential Undersecretary Mehmet Dânâ and Greek Cypriot negotiator Menelaos Menelaou met yesterday as part of preparations for the leaders’ meeting.

UN Secretary-General’s Personal Representative for Cyprus Maria Angela Holguin Cuellar had also been expected to visit the island during this process, but her planned visit was postponed for health reasons.

According to the Greek Cypriot press, UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Holguin are expected to meet the two leaders in New York at the end of September on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

Christodoulides said yesterday that he hoped to meet Erhürman two or three more times before travelling to New York.

Leaders agreed to meet at least once a week

Erhürman and Christodoulides agreed to intensify their contacts following their nearly three-hour meeting in the buffer zone on August 26, deciding to meet at least once a week and more frequently if necessary.

The meeting focused on confidence-building measures, the methodology of the talks and substantive issues concerning the Cyprus problem, within the framework outlined by Guterres following his visit to Cyprus.

Following the meeting, Erhürman said they were ready to make progress on mine clearance, opening new crossing points, citizenship rights for children from mixed marriages, sports, irregular migration and establishing joint mechanisms for disaster response as part of confidence-building measures.

The two leaders announced the names of members of the Steering Committee of the Civil Society Consultation Mechanism the following day.

Following his contacts in Cyprus at the end of July, Guterres said he planned to convene a new expanded 5+1 meeting on Cyprus once sufficient preparation and progress had been achieved on the issues identified.