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Ant\u00f3nio Guterres was\u00a0speaking to journalists\u00a0in the capital Nicosia at the end of\u00a0his first official visit to the country, where he met with the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot\u00a0leaders\u00a0as well as stakeholders.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mr. Guterres\u00a0said he held \u201cfrank and constructive discussions<\/strong>\u201d with Nikos Christodoulides and Tufan Erh\u00fcrman, both separately and together.\u00a0<\/p>\n He\u00a0recalled that\u00a0the UN has consistently worked to\u00a0assist\u00a0the communities \u201cin their efforts to reach a comprehensive, sustainable solution to the Cyprus issue\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n The\u00a0island\u00a0has been divided since July 1974.\u00a0Recent UN engagement has focused on rebuilding confidence after years without a formal settlement track.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Since 2017, six\u00a0meetings have been\u00a0held in Switzerland,\u00a0Germany\u00a0and the United States\u00a0in this regard.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIn this context, it was my duty to come to Cyprus to express my full solidarity with the people of Cyprus in their quest for a solution<\/strong>,\u201d\u00a0Mr. Guterres\u00a0said,\u00a0stressing that\u00a0\u201cthis is the moment when all efforts must be made to rebuild trust.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n He appealed to the two leaders to intensify efforts \u201cto define and implement confidence-building measures that can make a difference in the daily lives of all Cypriots\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Secretary-General said they have both assured him of their determination to continue working with his Personal Envoy,\u00a0Maria Angela Holguin.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cBased on our discussions on the way forward, I decided that I would convene another 5+1 meeting<\/strong> after adequate preparations on confidence building, methodology and substance, taking into account the convergences already achieved,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n The 5+1 format brings together the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders, guarantors Greece, T\u00fcrkiye and the United Kingdom and the UN.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n He said the\u00a0UN will consult with the two sides and the guarantors \u201cto create the conditions for the meeting\u2019s success\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n The Secretary-General noted that throughout the visit, he also had the opportunity to hear from many Cypriots, and their clearest message was a desire for progress.<\/p>\n \u201cThey want to see their leaders make compromises and to walk that last mile towards a settlement of the Cyprus issue<\/strong>,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThey want a future in which this island is defined not by division, but by cooperation, opportunity and peace.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Regarding\u00a0the situation on the ground, the Secretary-General\u00a0emphasised\u00a0the need to respect the mandated authority of the UN peacekeeping operation UNFICYP, both in the buffer zone and UN-delineated ceasefire lines.\u00a0<\/p>\n The force, which has\u00a0deployed\u00a0since 1964, \u201chas helped maintain calm and stability in a sensitive environment\u201d\u00a0and\u00a0\u201cits continued effectiveness depends on the cooperation of all sides<\/strong>.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n He also commended the work of the Committee on Missing Persons\u00a0as well as\u00a0the bicommunal technical committees working to bridge the gap between\u00a0political negotiations\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0everyday\u00a0concerns of the people, in addition to highlighting his engagement with civil society.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Secretary-General concluded his\u00a0remarks by\u00a0recognising\u00a0the significant contributions of the UNFICYP staff and his Mission of Good Offices for their critical roles in supporting peace and stability.\u00a0<\/p>\n He\u00a0stressed\u00a0that \u201cthe United Nations cannot impose peace,\u201d but \u201cremains fully committed to supporting the people of Cyprus in this crucial moment for the island and the wider region\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n Responding to a journalist\u2019s question, he pointed to the \u201cimportant geopolitical movements\u201d and persistent\u00a0and unending\u00a0conflicts in\u00a0a\u00a0region\u00a0\u201cwhere we have seen how conflicts can be enlarged\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\nSolidarity and a search for a solution<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n
New meeting\u00a0proposed<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n
A clear message<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n
Respect UN force<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n
A \u2018crucial moment\u2019<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n