The Government of Cyprus has responded positively to a proposal by the United Nations to hold a joint meeting between President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar on September 27 in New York, with UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis said on Friday.

Speaking to reporters at the Presidential Palace, Letymbiotis noted that Nicosia had been consulted by the UN on the proposed date and had given its positive response. He added that official announcements would be issued by the UN once arrangements are finalised.

Commenting on President Christodoulides’ earlier meeting with UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy María Ángela Holguín, the Spokesperson said that her presence ahead of the President’s trip to New York and the upcoming meeting with Tatar points out the Secretary-General’s personal commitment to restarting negotiations, always within the agreed framework.

The focus of the discussions, Letymbiotis said, was preparation for the meeting.

“The President of the Republic reiterated clearly our side’s willingness to continue contributing in every possible way to the UN Secretary-General’s efforts to restart negotiations from the point at which they were left, always in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions,” he said.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results due to Turkish intransigence. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.