Cyprus this week hosts outgoing U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, who will become the first head of the international body to visit the divided island in 16 years. The visit is significant as Greek Cypriots appear to be pushing for a solution to the decades-old division, although it may not be one acceptable to Turkish Cypriots.
Guterres' first stop on the Mediterranean island will be a laboratory where teams work to identify the remains and determine the whereabouts of people who went missing during past hostilities between the two sides. On Tuesday, he will hold separate talks with Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Tufan Erhürman and Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides. He will later meet both leaders together in the island's buffer zone on Wednesday.
The U.N. chief's visit aims to encourage both sides to adopt confidence-building measures and find common ground to advance the stalled talks. Ahead of the visit, Guterres' special envoy, Maria Angela Holguin Cuellar, held talks with Erhürman and was scheduled to meet Christodoulides later on Monday. Cuellar told reporters that her meeting with Erhürman was "fruitful." She said the main purpose of Guterres' visit was to continue the U.N.'s good offices mission in Cyprus and help pave the way for the resumption of comprehensive talks between the two sides.
