UN chief arrives in Cyprus, reaffirms support for peace efforts

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said early Tuesday that he had arrived in Cyprus to reaffirm the UN's commitment to achieving a lasting settlement of the decades-old Cyprus issue.

"I have just landed in Cyprus to express my commitment to support for Cypriot communities in the search for a comprehensive & sustainable settlement of the Cyprus issue," Guterres said on the US social media platform X.

The UN "cannot impose peace. Only Cypriots, through their leaders, can build it," he added.

During his visit, Guterres will meet with Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Tufan Erhurman and Nikos Christodoulides, the Greek Cypriot administration leader.

Guterres is also expected to meet other stakeholders and discuss efforts to advance the peace process and support stability on the island, including through the work of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP).

UNFICYP, one of the UN's longest-running peacekeeping missions, has been stationed on the island since 1964.

Cyprus has been mired in a decades-long dispute between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots, despite a series of diplomatic efforts by the UN to achieve a comprehensive settlement.