United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, right, walks with Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides in Nicosia, Cyprus, on July 29, 2026. [Petros Karadjias/AP]
Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides briefed political parties Monday on contacts held last week to revive efforts toward resolving the Cyprus problem.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visited the island and left somewhat discouraged by the current outlook, as did EU Special Envoy for Cyprus and European Commission Vice President Raffaele Fitto.
The briefing confirmed August will be a month of active diplomacy, with progress in three-way talks between the two communities and the UN on preparing confidence building measures and contact methodology determining whether an informal five-party meeting – a prerequisite for any substantive negotiation restart – can happen in September or later.
Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman also voiced readiness for negotiations Monday, posting on social media that he was prepared for a solution. He criticized those who claim to want a solution but don’t really, and those who favor process without outcome, saying “everyone speaks in vain.”
