Greece and Cyprus are coordinating their positions ahead of a new round of UN-mediated Cyprus reunification talks, with ...

Greece and Cyprus are coordinating their positions ahead of a new round of UN-mediated Cyprus reunification talks, with Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis meeting Cypriot House of Representatives President Annita Demetriou in Athens on Monday. The two sides are aligning before an informal five-party meeting that UN Secretary-General António Guterres is expected to announce soon. All eyes are now on the NATO summit in Ankara on July 7-8, where sideline consultations between European, Turkish, and Greek officials could produce the next major development. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will attend at the highest level, and whether he holds any talks with Turkish President Erdogan remains an open question. Cyprus Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos has made clear that Turkey carries obligations toward both the EU and Nicosia, noting that Turkey's alignment with EU foreign policy currently sits at just 4%. He stressed that any path forward must address the substance of the Cyprus issue within the UN Security Council framework. Greece's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lana Zochiou was direct about Turkey's push for a "two-state solution," calling it unacceptable and incompatible with UN Security Council resolutions. The UN Secretary-General has said the same. The election of new Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman has raised modest hopes for progress, but diplomats acknowledge that without a genuine shift in Ankara's position, the island's division is unlikely to move toward resolution. UN envoy María Ángela Holguín's meeting with European Council President António Costa was pushed to July 13 after Sunday's cancellation, adding another variable to an already complex diplomatic calendar. Greece has reaffirmed its support for a bizonal, bicommunal federation as the only acceptable framework, consistent with UN resolutions and EU law. #Cyprus #Greece #EasternMediterranean