Maria Angela Holguin, the United Nations Envoy, will return to Cyprus at the beginning of May. She will meet with President Nikos Christodoulides to discuss efforts to restart negotiations from where they were interrupted in Crans Montana in 2017. Ersin Tatar insists that her duties come to an end after six months since her appointment as UN Envoy.
The UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy on Cyprus, Maria Angela Holguin Cuellar, will visit Cyprus in early May to discuss the next steps in negotiations with President Christodoulides. Before arriving in Cyprus, she will travel to Berlin, Paris, and Brussels. The government spokesman emphasized Cyprus’ commitment to resuming negotiations based on UN Security Council resolutions and the agreed framework. The EU summit’s conclusions reflect the goal of linking EU-Turkey relations with progress on the Cyprus issue, sending a message to the Turkish side about the potential for progress on issues of interest if there is corresponding progress on Cyprus.
Fact: The Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar believes that the European Union should stop being a slave to the Greek Cypriot side in the Cyprus problem.
President Christodoulides expressed satisfaction with the positive message sent to Turkey by the European Union during a strategic discussion on Euro-Turkish relations and the Cyprus issue. He thanked leaders for their support, including the Prime Minister of Greece, the President of France, the Chancellor of Germany, and others. The President also mentioned the need for Turkey to take specific actions in Cyprus to translate the positive message into reality. Additionally, he highlighted the support for re-examining the status of specific areas in Syria, which could positively impact migration. Finally, he discussed plans for economic support for Lebanon and a future EU summit with Arab states to address the status of Syria.
– The European Council reaffirmed its commitment to a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem within the framework of the United Nations and relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
– The government of Cyprus achieved its goal of linking Euro-Turkish relations with the Cyprus problem.
– The EU is ready to play an active role in supporting the UN-led process for the Cyprus settlement talks.
– The European Council sent a powerful message to Turkey, urging constructive engagement in the Cyprus talks for progress in Euro-Turkish relations.
– The strategic discussion of Euro-Turkish relations was referred to the Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) following proposals made by Nicosia during the Council.
– President Nikos Christodoulides and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen will visit Lebanon on May 2 to discuss a package of additional economic support, the details of which are still under discussion.
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The United Nations Security Council committee did not reach a unanimous recommendation on the Palestinian Authority’s application to become a full U.N. member. The Palestinian Authority is expected to push for a vote on the draft resolution recommending its full membership. This move would effectively recognize a Palestinian state, which is currently a non-member observer state. The U.S. has stated that an independent Palestinian state should be established through direct negotiations, not at the United Nations. The Security Council committee was unable to agree on whether the Palestinian application met all the criteria for membership.
The United Nations is facing difficulties in delivering aid to the Gaza Strip, with significant checkpoint delays and denied requests for aid deliveries. Despite some improvements in coordination with Israel, challenges persist in scaling up aid distribution. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has escalated, leading to increased global outrage. Israel has approved reopening crossings and ports for aid delivery after pressure from U.S. President Joe Biden. The focus is on improving access to essential services like water, sanitation, and health to prevent famine. U.S. officials acknowledge progress in aid delivery but are working to further improve the situation. Israel is retaliating against Hamas in Gaza following an attack, resulting in casualties on both sides.
The new permanent residency by investment program in Cyprus allows applicants to make investments in real estate, share capital of a company, or units of a collective investment organization. Applicants must also prove they have a secure annual income of at least €50,000. The program promotes foreign investments in Cyprus, supporting local businesses and regional development.
The social insurance fund (SIF) in Cyprus is financially viable until at least the year 2080, based on an actuarial study outlined by Labour Minister Yiannis Panayiotou. The study found that the fund’s revenues are sufficient to cover annual increases in spending on pensions, and the reserves of the SIF are at satisfactory levels. The analysis determined that it is not necessary to raise the retirement age until the next review in 2025. The International Labour Organisation recommended diversifying the SIF’s investment portfolio and gradually altering its investment policy. The review’s findings will serve as a baseline for the planned pension reform of 2025.