British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has discussed the Cyprus issue with UN Secretary General António Guterres during a sideline meeting at the G7 Summit in Cornwall in the south of England.
A statement from 10 Downing Street said the meeting on Saturday, 12 June, covered “a number of international issues” including “the Cyprus peace process”. No further details were given about the views exchanged on Cyprus.
Along with Greece and Turkey, the United Kingdom is one of three Guarantor Powers in Cyprus.
Led by Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, British diplomats have been playing an active role in trying to bring the positions of Turkish Cypriot President Ersin Tatar and his Greek Cypriot counterpart Nicos Anastasiades closer together, so a new round of negotiations can commence.
UN Secretary General Guterres met with the two Cypriot leaders and the foreign ministers of the three Guarantor Powers for “informal talks” in Geneva in April of this year.
Speaking at a press conference at the close of the three day meeting in Geneva, Mr Guterres said it had not been possible to find common ground, but that he and his team would continue to work towards that end. He stated that he intended to bring the parties together again in “two to three months”.
Along with reviewing the Cyprus situation, Prime Minister Johnson also offered “his support to Secretary Guterres’ vision for a more integrated UN”, while reiterating the UK’s position on the need for a “strong United Nations” as well as “joined-up global action on issues like pandemic preparedness and climate change.”
The two men also discussed the UK-hosted COP26 Summit later this year, with both agreeing “on the need for countries to step up and make ambitious commitments to cut carbon emissions and phase out the use of coal.”
Other international issues PM Johnson and Mr Guterres covered on Saturday, according to the Downing Street statement, were Yemen, Syria, Libya, Myanmar, and Afghanistan.
Top image of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson (centre) and his wife Carrie pose for a photo UN Secretary General António Guterres at the G7 Summit in Cornwall, 12 June 2021. Photo © Tw / 10 Downing Street
