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All possibilities to restart talks on Cyprus issue will be exhausted, UNSG told Greek PM

The Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres met on Friday at the United Nation's headquarters in New York, during which they discussed, inter alia, the Cyprus issue. Mitsotakis urged for using every opportunity to resolve Cyprus problem whereas UN SC told the Greek PM that he will exhaust all possibilities for the resumption of negotiations, diplomatic sources say. During the meeting, the Greek Prime Minister expressed his appreciation for the efforts of the Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy Maria Angela Holguin Cuéllar to resume talks on the Cyprus issue. Mitsotakis underlined that its unacceptable that 50 years after the Turkish invasion Cyprus remains divided. This is an unacceptable situation, he said, stressing that every possibility must be used to reach a viable solution to the Cyprus question based on the resolutions of the UN Security Council. Sources said that no information was given regarding the content of Holguin report, however it was mention ed that the report presents the current situation on the island. The same diplomatic sources also made clear is that there is no proposal by the Secretary General for a four- or five-party meeting, which Athens also does not accept. In the coming period, the proposals of Antonio Guterres are expected to be announced, who has been studying since Wednesday, July 10, the report delivered to him by his Personal Envoy, Maria Angela Holguin. The Secretary-General is expected to encourage both sides to continue their efforts to return to the dialogue table, while there is an intention to discuss Holguin's mandate during the UN General Assembly in September, according to the same sources. Holguin held on Thursday, July 11, separate meeting with the Greek and Turkish Foreign Ministers in Washington, while Friday she has requested a meeting with the American Secretary of State. According to information, she is expected to be received by the US Under Secretary of State for European Affairs James O'Brien at the State Department. Guterres and Mitsotakis, also discussed Greece's bid for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2025-26 period. The Prime Minister informed Guterres about the Greek priorities and underlined that Greece wants to be a bridge between the South and the North, the West and the East, as it is a member state of the EU, of NATO, and talks at the same time with countries of the Global South. Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres appointed María Ángela Holguín Cuéllar of Colombia as his personal envoy for Cyprus, to assume a Good Offices role on his behalf and search for common ground on the way forward in the Cyprus issue.