Guterres to make landmark Cyprus visit as UN pushes for peace efforts
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is set to visit Cyprus later this month for talks with the leaders of both communities, in what is being described as his latest diplomatic effort to revive long-stalled peace negotiations on the ethnically divided island, media reported on July 16.
The visit is scheduled for July 27-28 and will mark the first trip to the island by a sitting U.N. secretary-general in 16 and a half years. The last serving U.N. chief to visit the island was Ban Ki-moon, who traveled there in early 2010.
During his visit, Guterres will hold separate meetings with Turkish Cypriot President Tufan Erhürman and Greek Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, before bringing the two leaders together for a joint meeting, several media reports said.
He is also expected to meet members of the island’s bicommunal technical committees as well as representatives of civil society organizations.
