Deliberations surrounding the Cyprus problem will pick up pace in the first week of the new year, with the highlight being the renewal of UNFICYP’s mandate at the end of January.

Aleem Siddique, Spokesperson of the United Nations Peacekeeping Forces (UNFICYP) told CNA that Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General in Cyprus, Colin Stewart, leaves for New York on 6 January and is expected to brief the Security Council on 14 January.

He will also “brief troop contributing member states on 16 January” and then return to Cyprus.

Siddique also said the UNSG’s reports on his good offices mission and UNFICYP “should be published next week”.

“The SC will renew our mandate before the end of January”, he added.

Meanwhile, sources told CNA that negotiators Greek Cypriot Menelaos Menelaou and Turkish Cypriot Gunes Onar will meet again possibly after Epiphany which is celebrated on January 6, 2025.

When asked how discussions are going, the sources added, “they are continuing”.

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.