UN Secretary‑General António Guterres calls for new Cyprus confidence‑building meeting

The United Nations dismissed an Israeli journalist’s comparison of the Secretary‑General’s remarks on Syria with those made during his recent visit to Cyprus, stating the two situations are legally and politically distinct.

During his first official trip to the island, Guterres met separately and jointly with Greek Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman. He expressed solidarity with all Cypriots and urged both sides to rebuild trust through concrete confidence‑building measures. The UN chief announced plans to convene another “5+1” meeting – involving the two Cypriot leaders, guarantor states Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom, and the United Nations – after further preparation on methodology and substance. He also called for respect of the UN peacekeeping force (UNFICYP) in the buffer zone.