Holguin Holds Talks With Fidan Before UN Chief’s Cyprus Trip

According to Tom Cleaver writing in Cyprus Mail, Maria Angela Holguin concluded her latest diplomatic outreach with a meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, though neither side issued public statements following the session.

However, Turkish news outlet T24 cited Turkish foreign ministry sources as reporting that Fidan reiterated Ankara’s backing for a two-state solution, claiming Turkey maintains that the most realistic solution lies in the coexistence of two states side by side.

Fidan reportedly told Holguin that any approach failing to recognize what Turkey describes as the “inherent rights” of Turkish Cypriots—including sovereign equality and equal international status—would be counterproductive to a settlement.

European Commission Reaffirms Support for UN Process

Earlier in the week, Holguin held discussions in Brussels with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the Commission’s newly appointed Cyprus envoy Raffaele Fitto.

Von der Leyen welcomed Holguin’s efforts alongside Guterres to resolve the Cyprus issue within the UN framework and in accordance with EU principles and legislation, pledging full Commission support. Fitto characterized his own session as a constructive opportunity to exchange initial views and establish a working relationship, reaffirming the EU’s commitment to the UN-led process.

Turkey Appears to Harden Position Ahead of Guterres Visit

Fidan’s reported emphasis on a two-state framework could signal a hardening of Turkey’s stance ahead of the Secretary-General’s arrival, particularly following similar rhetoric from Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz during a visit to Cyprus on Monday.

Yilmaz asserted that a permanent solution requires acceptance of sovereign equality and equal international status for “the two states,” blaming Greek Cypriots for the failure of years of negotiations by allegedly refusing to treat Turkish Cypriots as equal partners.

Turkish Cypriot Leader Emphasizes Commitment to Results

Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman, however, maintains that Turkish Cypriots have long sought a settlement, pointing to their approval of the 2004 Annan plan and their participation in the 2017 Crans-Montana talks as evidence of good faith.

Echoing Guterres’ own insistence that “this time it must be different,” Erhurman stressed that his side seeks results, not negotiations for their own sake, and wants any potential five-plus-one meeting—involving the island’s two sides, guarantor powers Greece, Turkey, and the United Kingdom, plus the UN—to be outcome-oriented.

Prior Signals Suggested Turkish Flexibility

Before this week, Turkey had appeared more receptive to engagement. Last month, Fidan joined EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos, and Internal Affairs Commissioner Magnus Brunner in signing a joint declaration backing Guterres’ efforts on Cyprus.

Both von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa had also urged Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to seize the renewed momentum for a Cyprus solution during a meeting at the NATO leaders’ summit in Ankara earlier this month.

Notably, Erdogan made no mention of Cyprus during his public remarks following Friday prayers in the Constantinople suburb of Uskudar on the eastern banks of the Bosphorus.

Guterres to Hold Separate and Joint Meetings Next Week

Guterres will arrive in Cyprus on Monday and is scheduled to meet separately with Cypriot President Nicos Christodoulides and Erhurman at their official residences on Tuesday morning. He will also visit the Committee on Missing Persons before convening a tripartite session with both leaders on Wednesday at the UN’s good offices mission.

Earlier this month, Holguin urged Cypriots to seize what she called a historic opportunity to negotiate a lasting solution, noting that Guterres is evaluating next steps that could persuade both parties to take concrete action toward a final settlement.

With information from Cyprus Mail