The message conveyed by the UN Secretary‑General’s visit to Cyprus 27-29 of July, is that the international community is investing in the prospect of a solution in Cyprus, not in the perpetuation of the status quo, Government Spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis told the CNA.

Invited to comment on the significance of the Secretary‑General’s visit — the first in 16 years — Letymbiotis said it will be an important opportunity to assess the progress of the Secretary‑General’s initiative to date. He added that our side “looks forward with interest to the directions he will outline regarding the continuation of the process and the next steps”.

He stressed that the momentum now building creates the conditions for progress, but also highlights the responsibility of all involved to respond to this prospect.

In his statement the Spokesman said that “the visit of the Secretary‑General of the United Nations to Cyprus constitutes a particularly important development, both in terms of the substance of the contacts and for the strong political symbolism it conveys.”

He confirmed that “the new initiative he (the SG) personally undertook remains active, is evolving, is gaining continuity and maintains its momentum.

The Spokesman remarked that “two significant international pillars, the United Nations and the European Union, are being activated in parallel and operate complementarily toward the shared goal of creating the conditions for progress on the Cyprus issue, under the initiative undertaken by the UN Secretary‑General.”

He clarified that this development is not circumstantial, but “it reflects the formation of a broader international dynamic that strengthens the prospects of the process. It is the result of persistent diplomatic effort, continuous contacts and a consistent strategy aiming to mobilize all available international and European levers toward a solution”.

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. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively