The talks in Nicosia did not lead to the resumption of formal peace negotiations. Guterres spoke separately with President Nikos Christodoulides and the Turkish-Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman, followed by a joint meeting. This demonstrated the United Nations’ continued commitment to an approach that directly involves both parties.
5 + 1
The main outcome of the visit is the agreement to work towards a new five-plus-one meeting. This would bring the two Cypriot parties, the three guarantor countries Greece, Turkey, and the United Kingdom, and the United Nations back to the negotiating table. The timing of this meeting has not yet been announced.
The new meeting will not happen automatically. According to the arrangements, sufficient preparatory work must first be completed. Only when adequate progress is made can a new conference realistically hope for a meaningful result, according to those involved.
Promotion
The focus will be on so-called confidence-building measures. Practical cooperation between the two communities is intended to strengthen mutual trust and lay the foundation for further political talks.
After Ten Years
There is also no full agreement yet on how future negotiations should be conducted. Besides the substance of the conflict, the parties want clarity first about the process and framework of any new negotiation track. This is meant to prevent long, drawn-out talks without tangible outcomes.
Notably, substantive issues were discussed again during the recent talks. According to the leaders involved, this was the first time since the Crans-Montana talks nearly ten years ago.
Initiated
All parties involved now endorse the intention to organize a new international meeting, though they attach various conditions to it. The three guarantor countries continue to play a permanent role alongside the two Cypriot parties and the United Nations. In addition, the European Union is also trying to support the UN process by maintaining contacts with both leaders.
While Guterres’ visit did not resolve the longstanding conflict, it did initiate a new diplomatic path. The coming period will determine whether the preparations build enough confidence to hold another international conference and breathe new life into the stalled negotiations.