Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman on Tuesday told United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that he is most likely “aware of the Turkish Cypriot people’s strong will” for a solution to the Cyprus problem, as he welcomed him to his official residence in the north.

“I believe you are aware of the Turkish Cypriot people’s strong will for a just and lasting solution,” he said, before adding that the Turkish Cypriot side is “doing our best to fulfil our obligations regarding confidence-building measures.

“Unlike the experiences of 2004 and 2017, this time, we are working on a new and realistic methodology which will contribute to our common goal,” he said, in reference to the failed Annan plan referendum to reunify Cyprus and the collapse of the most recent round of negotiations in earnest at the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana.

As such, Erhurman said to Guterres that “we strongly support and welcome your efforts”, and that “you can be assured that we will continue to do our best”.

Following his earlier meeting with President Nikos Christodoulides, Guterres said “this visit is a visit of solidarity to the people of Cyprus and to show my strong commitment to make sure that we are able to have, finally, the solution in Cyprus”.

He added that the pursuit of a solution “depends, obviously, on the Cypriots themselves”, and said that the island’s three guarantor powers “also have a role to play”, but stressed that “I will do everything I can to support Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots in this important moment”.

He made similar comments after meeting Erhurman.

Later in the day, he will hold meetings with civil society groups and the Committee on Missing Persons.

He will then host an evening meal with both leaders at UN special representative Khassim Diagne’s official residence in the buffer zone in Nicosia on Tuesday evening, before convening a tripartite meeting with both leaders at the UN’s good offices mission, near the old Nicosia airport, on Wednesday.

Guterres’ visit to Cyprus comes amid a “new initiative” being taken with the aim of bringing about a resumption of negotiations in earnest to solve the Cyprus problem.

It is hoped that this “new initiative” will culminate in an enlarged meeting on the Cyprus problem being convened later in the summer, with that meeting set to involve the island’s two sides, its three guarantor powers, Greece, Turkey, and the United Kingdom, and the UN.