Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot parties in a bicommunal meeting on Wednesday called on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to resume talks on the Cyprus problem, stressing that the division of the island could only be overcome with a solution based on UN resolutions.

“We call on the two leaders, who will participate in the bilateral meeting under the auspices of the UN, to begin negotiations on the substance of the Cyprus problem in good faith and with the aim of achieving a comprehensive and sustainable solution as soon as possible,” the representatives said.

Stressing that talks could only succeed in an atmosphere of trust, they urged all those involved to pursue confidence-building measures and foster a climate in this direction and said that they welcomed UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ commitment to the talks, calling on him to resume substantial talks on the Cyprus problem.

During the bicommunal meeting, the representatives stressed the importance of the European Union as both a driving force for cooperation between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots and a credible external actor in promoting peace and cooperation.

Finally, the parties emphasised the need for further consultations involving civil society and other stakeholders from both communities with a focus on cooperation in areas including youth, culture, and the environment and highlighted the crucial role of education and other initiatives in combating disinformation and hate speech.

The joint bicommunal meeting was held at Ledra Palace under the auspices of the Embassy of Slovakia.