President Nikos Christodoulides on Friday had a working lunch with the five permanent UN Security Council members in New York where they discussed growing concerns over the region, as well as the Cyprus problem.
According to government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis, the five permanent members recognised Cyprus’ role in the region “as a pilar of security and stability” where they also thanked Christodoulides for the Amalthea maritime humanitarian corridor initiative.
China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States hold a permanent seat in the UN Security Council.
During the lunch, they all unanimously agreed that the regional crisis should deescalate as soon as possible. To this end, Christodoulides briefed them of Cyprus’ efforts in that direction as the closest EU member state to the Middle East.
Christodoulides also briefed the five permanent UN Security Council members over efforts to resume negotiations for the Cyprus problem, Letymbiotis said.
The President informed them of “the constructive meeting” he had with UNSG Antonio Guterres over the latter’s efforts to arrange a tripartite meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar.
“An effort that we welcome because it demonstrates the UN Secretary General’s own unwavering commitment to the resumption of negotiations, but which we also support and strengthen through the initiatives we are undertaking.”
All five permanent members of the Security Council reaffirmed their commitment and their clear will to the agreed framework as set out in all relevant Security Council resolutions and expressed the hope that this joint meeting will take place in the presence of the USG, expressing their support for this new effort, both on the part of the Guterres and Christodoulides, the spokesman said.
