The Secretary-General met today with Espen Barth Eide, his newly appointed Special Adviser on Cyprus. The Secretary-General reiterated his appreciation for Mr. Eide’s undertaking of this important assignment.

The Secretary-General underscored the United Nations and his personal commitment to facilitating the achievement of a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus. Mr. Eide’s appointment illustrated the United Nations determination to continue supporting the parties to arrive at concrete results in the coming phase.

The Secretary-General noted that Mr. Eide was assuming his functions at a promising moment in the Cyprus peace process, with fresh momentum having been generated by the Joint Declaration adopted by the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders on 11 February 2014. He asked that Mr. Eide travel immediately to Cyprus to meet with the two leaders, Nicos Anastasiades and Dervis Eroglu, in Nicosia on 5 September.

The Secretary-General conveyed his expectation that, as the leaders prepare to enter the next phase, they will show renewed dedication and courage to build on the principles outlined in the Joint Declaration. He strongly hopes that the important gains achieved to date will be preserved as the sides move decisively towards structured and results-oriented negotiations, as called for in the Declaration.

The Secretary-General concluded by stressing that, in these times of great turmoil in the region, it is more important than ever to reach a lasting settlement in Cyprus for the benefit of all Cypriots. The long-overdue solution to the Cyprus problem constitutes a strategic priority for the United Nations and the international community.