Alithia Newspaper: Informal Summit a Turning Point for Solution or Deadlock

The newspaper, in its front-page analysis titled "Geneva: The Beginning of the End or the Final End?", argues that the expanded informal meeting on March 17 will either open the path to a resolution or confirm the impasse.

While the meeting is expected to take place on March 17-18, the report claims that it will not be under the conditions initially desired and planned by UN Secretary-General António Guterres. Alithia recalls that after the failure of the 2017 Crans-Montana talks, Guterres had already set the criteria for such a meeting, stating that “the next time will be different.”

The newspaper notes that Guterres has repeatedly reiterated these conditions, either directly or indirectly, in all his reports to the UN Security Council since then. The UN Secretary-General has made it clear that both sides must establish common ground for the final negotiations to make progress on resolving the Cyprus issue.

Alithia also reminds that Guterres had previously required both sides to explain why they believed this effort would succeed.

The report highlights that political equality remains a key issue in the Cyprus talks. It points out that, as former UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy María Ángela Holguín warned at the conclusion of her six-month mission, the resolution of this matter ultimately lies in the hands of Greek Cypriot leader Christodoulides.

The newspaper also underscores the significance of a recent statement by Tufan Erhürman, leader of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), calling for action on the Cyprus issue. However, it argues that Christodoulides’ reluctance to respond raises the risk of missing what could be Cyprus’ final opportunity for a settlement.

The report further claims that Christodoulides’ stance suggests he may not fully grasp the direction of the process he wishes to set in motion. Ultimately, it concludes that the success of Guterres' initiative and the outcome of the expanded meeting will hinge on how Christodoulides addresses the critical question of political equality.

Alithia also recalls that, at the end of her mission, Holguín concluded that “the Christodoulides administration knows how to unlock the process,” suggesting that this was not a coincidence.