Cyprus talks are accelerating. September could be crucial.

Cyprus talks are entering an intensive phase. President Nikos Christodoulides has declared the Republic of Cyprus's full readiness to participate in another expanded meeting if UN Secretary-General António Guterres deems conditions sufficient to convene it.

The coming weeks will bring a series of important contacts. Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman are scheduled to meet again on September 2nd, European Council President António Costa will arrive in Nicosia two days later, and UN envoy María Ángela Holguín is scheduled to return to the island at the end of the first week of the month. The September session of the UN General Assembly in New York will serve as an informal point of reference.

Cyprus talks. Christodoulides: we are ready

The President of the Republic of Cyprus said on Sunday that preparations for the next stage of the process are already underway.

The work is based both on the findings following the recent visit of the UN Secretary-General to Cyprus and subsequent contacts with the European Union.

Christodoulides stressed that if António Guterres deems it necessary, the Greek Cypriot side is ready to participate in the next meeting in an expanded format.

The goal – as he pointed out – remains resuming negotiations from where they were interrupted.

The formal negotiation process has remained suspended since the failure of the Crans-Montana talks in 2017.

The next meeting is on September 2nd

The nearest specific date is Wednesday, September 2.

Nikos Christodoulides is scheduled to meet with Tufan Erhürman again at that time. The date has been officially confirmed by the Cypriot Presidential Palace.

This is the result of a decision made during a nearly three-hour conversation between the two leaders on August 26.

They agreed that from now on they will meet at least once a week, and if necessary even more oftenThe UN confirmed that the talks will focus on, among other things, substantive issues, the methodology for future negotiations, and confidence-building measures.

Christodoulides described the recent meeting with Erhürman as a good first discussion.

Both politicians held a significant part of the conversation without their delegations.

Holguín returns to the island

The next important stage is expected to take place at the end of the first week of September.

He is then supposed to return to Cyprus. María Ángela Holguín, personal envoy of the UN Secretary-General for the Cyprus problem.

Her arrival has been confirmed by both sides. Both Christodoulides and Erhürman speak of planned intensive contacts.

Holguín will be tasked with trying to achieve sufficient progress in three areas previously identified by Guterres: confidence-building measures, methodology and the substance of future negotiations.

The UN Secretary-General announced that the next meeting in a broader format would be convened only after these issues had been properly prepared.

António Costa will come to Nicosia

The European Union is also becoming increasingly involved in the process.

On September 4, the President of the European Council, António Costa, will arrive in Nicosia, who will meet with Nikos Christodoulides. The visit is part of his tour of the capitals of the European Union.

For Nicosia, EU involvement is of particular importance because the Republic of Cyprus also wants to keep the Cyprus problem high on the European political agenda.

Contacts with the EU are conducted in parallel with the process under the auspices of the United Nations.

What does extended meeting mean?

In practice, it is a format known as 5+1.

Representatives of the two Cypriot communities and the three guarantor states – Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom – meet at one table, and the talks are held under the patronage of the United Nations.

These are not yet formal negotiations on a comprehensive agreement.

Their task is to create conditions that will allow for a return to the proper negotiation process.

The UN emphasizes that the next such meeting should be well prepared so that it does not end with a mere declaration of further talks.

Checkpoints still without a breakthrough

One of the specific issues remains new passages between both parts of the island.

Christodoulides said that during his last conversation with Erhürman, the four-transition package, which had already been discussed during the meeting in Geneva in March 2025, was discussed again.

The President claims that the Republic of Cyprus has accepted the proposal presented by the UN Secretary-General as a compromise, but no agreement has been reached so far.

The issue of crossings remains one of the most tangible elements of confidence-building measures, as their opening would have a direct impact on the daily movement of residents.

Tufan Erhürman also declared his readiness to work on new crossings. Among other areas where the Turkish Cypriot side sees potential for progress, he mentioned mine clearance, disaster relief cooperation, migration, and certain issues concerning children from mixed marriages.

Christodoulides draws a line under confidence-building measures

The President of the Republic of Cyprus also stressed that Nicosia is ready to support actions facilitating the rapprochement of the two communities, but that not all proposals will be acceptable to it.

According to Christodoulides, confidence-building measures should lead to a solution to the Cyprus problem and the reunification of the country.

However, he rejects actions that, in his opinion, could lead to "normalization of the current illegal situation"This is the position of the Greek Cypriot side, which the president also presented directly to Erhürman.

After the last meeting, the Turkish Cypriot leader also declared further work in good faith, but emphasized his own reservations regarding the events which, in his opinion, undermine mutual trust.

New York will be the first test

The coming weeks will therefore be an attempt to determine whether more frequent contacts actually bring concrete results.

Christodoulides points to High-Level Week of the UN General Assembly in New York as an informal checkpoint of the entire process.

Both he and Tufan Erhürman are scheduled to meet separately with António Guterres there and brief the Secretary-General on the progress made.

Until then, regular meetings of leaders and intensive talks with María Ángela Holguín are to take place.

Christodoulides said his side would do everything possible to ensure concrete results were achieved in New York. He added that if they were not achieved, he believed the Republic of Cyprus would not be held responsible.

However, there is no decision yet on the date of the next 5+1 meeting.

The coming weeks will show whether it will be possible to create the conditions in which António Guterres will decide to convene it.

Sources: Presidency of the Republic of Cyprus, United Nations, Cyprus News Agency, Philenews, Cyprus Mail, Turkish Cypriot press releases
Cover photo: Press Information Office