Greek FM to hold Cyprus Problem talks with UN chief Guterres

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias is reportedly preparing to visit New York to hold Cyprus Problem talks with new UN chief Antonio Guterres on January 6, according to Phileleftheros.

The meeting will occur three days before negotiations between Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades, Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci and the island’s three guarantor powers (Greece, the UK and Turkey) will travel to Geneva to hold crucial negotiations on the remaining territorial, security and guarantee issues.

Talks between Cyprus and Greece have intensified since confirmation that Anastasiades and Akinci agreed to resume their Swiss-based talks.

Anastasiades is set to visit Athens on Friday to hold talks with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.

Greek and Turkish officials are also expected to hold talks prior to the Geneva negotiations to prepare for the reported Tsipras and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan meeting.

SigmaLive Greek has learnt that Greek officials want the Tsipras-Erdogan meeting to take place before the Geneva talks, while Turkish officials prefer for the meeting to take place in Switzerland.

Today, Anastasiades is set to hold a meeting with his negotiating team as they iron out the “necessary infrastructure to progress at the negotiating table,” as stated by Government Spokesperson Nikos Christodoulides yesterday.

BACKGROUND

Anastasiades and Akinci decided earlier this month to resume their Swiss-based talks on January 9, 2017.

On January 11, they are expected to present their respective maps on the territorial chapter.

On January 12, the Conference on Cyprus will be convened with guarantor powers and other relevant parties.

Anastasiades and Akinci have been engaged in UN-led talks since May 2015 aiming to reunify the island under a federal roof, following Turkey’s 1974 invasion and illegal occupation on the island.