UN to Host Expanded Cyprus Talks in New York

According to the sources, Turkish Cypriot President Ersin Tatar and Greek Cypriot President Nikos Hristodulidis will meet at a meeting where Turkish and Greek foreign ministers, Hakan Fidan and Yorgo Gerapetridis. U.K. Minister of State for Europe and North America Stephen Doughty will also attend.

Guterres will chair the meetings that will focus on ways to deepen cooperation between the two communities on the divided island. The first meeting in this format took place in Geneva in March.

“The expanded informal meetings held in Geneva and to be held in New York do not constitute the continuation of the past negotiations or resumption of a new process,” the sources said.

Turkish and Turkish Cypriot officials firmly reiterate that any talks for resolving the problem on the island should be based on a two-state solution, as they categorically reject the five-decades-old U.N. parameters for a bizonal and bicommunal federal solution to the issue. 

The Presidency's Press and Public Relations Office has released the programme for President Ersin Tatar’s visit to New York for the upcoming informal 5+1 summit on the Cyprus issue.

According to the statement, the summit will begin on Wednesday, July 16 with a dinner at 7:00 p.m. (2:00 a.m. TRNC time) in the Delegates Dining Room on the 4th floor of the United Nations Headquarters.

Bilateral Meetings

UN Secretary-General António Guterres will meet with President Ersin Tatar and his delegation on Thursday, July 17, from 10:00 to 10:20 a.m. (5:00–5:20 p.m. TRNC time) at the UN Headquarters.

Following that, President Tatar will hold a bilateral meeting with UK Minister for Europe Stephen Doughty from 10:30 to 10:50 a.m. (5:30–5:50 p.m. TRNC time).

Main 5+1 Session

After the official family photo is taken, the main session of the summit in the 5+1 format—featuring delegations from Turkey, Greece, and the United Kingdom—will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (6:30–8:30 p.m. TRNC time) at the UN Headquarters.

A closing session in the same format will follow from 3:15 to 4:45 p.m. (10:15–11:45 p.m. TRNC time).

President Tatar will hold a press conference at 5:00 p.m. (midnight TRNC time) at the UN Headquarters.

Following the conclusion of the summit, the delegation will depart New York at 12:35 a.m. on Friday, July 18 (7:35 a.m. TRNC time).

President Tatar and his delegation are expected to arrive in the TRNC at 8:05 p.m. and will hold a press briefing at 8:30 p.m. at Ercan State Airport.