Cyprus Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos will pay a one-day working visit to Lebanon on Tuesday, at the invitation of his counterpart Abdallah Bou Habib. An announcement from the Ministry says that during his stay in Beirut, the MFA will have a meeting with Bou Habib, in the presence of delegations from the two Ministries. Bilateral relations and the prospect of further deepening them, regional developments, migration and the Cyprus issue will be on the agenda of the talks. After the consultations, the two Ministers will make statements to the press. Kombos will also be received by the acting Prime Minister Najib Mikati, and by the Speaker of the Parliament, Nabih Berri. He will also meet with the Chief of the Lebanese Armed Forces General Joseph Aoun. 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 ende d inconclusively. Source: Cyprus News Agency
Holguin hopeful for a highly productive week on the island (Correction)
(Story refiled with correction in the 6th paragraph, to reflect the statement of the UNSG personal envoy, who expressed hope to start thinking more about the Cyprus issue. The correct text follows) UNSG personal envoy for Cyprus Maria Ángela Holguín Cuéllar said that she is hopeful for a highly productive week of meetings on the island. Holguin returned to Cyprus on Monday for meetings with the two leaders, political parties, the civil society and the commerce chambers. In statements to the press following a meeting she had on Monday with the Turkish Cypriot leader, Ersin Tatar, in the Turkish-occupied areas of Cyprus, the Colombian diplomat said that she is delighted to be back and described her meeting with Tatar as productive. "And I am hopeful that this week will be highly productive as well. There are upcoming meetings with political parties, the Chambers of Commerce, and various civil society groups", she said. She went on to say that she is eager to continue her work here and gain a deeper underst anding of the issue at hand. Moreover, she expressed hope to start thinking more about the Cyprus issue. She was accompanied in the meeting with Tatar by Colin Stewart, Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus. Her meeting with Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides is set for 4pm local time. 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. Source: Cyprus News Agency