The National Council is convening on Thursday ahead of the expanded conference on the Cyprus problem, to be held in New York on July 16 and 17, under UN auspices.

During the meeting under President Nikos Christodoulides, the political parties will be informed on the latest development in the Cyprus problem.

On Wednesday, the UN chief’s spokesman Stephane Dujarric said that, “following the informal meeting on Cyprus in a broader format that was held in Geneva on March 17 and 18 March of this year, the secretary-general will convene in New York, at the UN headquarters on July 16 and 17, the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders, as well as representatives of the guarantor powers of Greece, the United Kingdom and Turkey, for another informal meeting on Cyprus.” 

“The meeting will provide an opportunity to continue the dialogue and exchange views on the progress made since the meeting in March,” he added.

Last week, government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said “our dedication to the resumption of substantive negotiations where they were cut off, within the agreed framework set out by the Security Council resolutions, remains unchanged.”

The aim, he reiterated, was a comprehensive and viable solution of the Cyprus problem.

The planned conference is expected to bring together key stakeholders with a view to advancing talks.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced that an informal meeting on Cyprus in a broader format will be held at the end of July, following a similar meeting in Geneva, on March 17 and 18.

The two sides agreed to proceed with a number of initiatives, involving the opening of crossing points, the creation of a Technical Committee on Youth and other initiatives in the buffer zone and throughout the island.

The UN and the EU announced envoys for Cyprus, Maria Angela Holguin and Johannes Hahn respectively.

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