Activities of Secretary-General in Switzerland, 6-7 July

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres flew from New York to Geneva, Switzerland and onwards to Crans-Montana where he arrived on Thursday, 6 July, for his second visit to the Conference on Cyprus.  The Conference went on for the whole day and part of the night.

The talks were attended by the Greek Cypriot leader, Nicos Anastasiades, the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mustafa Akıncı, and the representatives of the guarantor Powers, Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom.  The European Union also attended as an observer.  The Secretary-General was accompanied by Espen Barth Eide, his Special Adviser on Cyprus, and Elizabeth Spehar, Deputy Special Adviser.

Speaking to the press in the early morning of Friday, 7 July, the Secretary-General expressed his deep regrets that, despite the very strong commitment of all the delegations the Conference on Cyprus closed without an agreement being reached.  He expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the leaders of the two communities, the representatives of the guarantor Powers and the European Union, for their commitment to find an agreement; he also expressed his enormous appreciation to the United Nations team, led by Mr. Eide, that did everything possible to bring closer the positions of the different delegations.  And he thanked the Government of Switzerland for having generously hosted the Conference.

Mr. Guterres concluded by stating that the United Nations, in the role of facilitator, would always be at the disposal of the parties willing to come to an agreement, if that would be the case.

The Secretary-General left Crans-Montana for Hamburg, Germany, on Friday, 7 July.