Greece to discuss Cyprus issue in New York this week

Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis will discuss Greece’s participation in the UN Security Council, as well as the progress of the contacts of the UN Secretary General’s envoy for the Cyprus problem, Maria Holguin, with Secretary General Antonio Guterres, among other issues, it emerged on Sunday.

Gerapetritis will be in New York in the coming week for a series of meetings.

Greece is seeking its third membership (after 1952-1953 and 2005-2006), as a non-permanent member state, in the security council for the period 2025-2026 in a vote to be held on Thursday in the General Assembly Hall.

As part of his trip to New York, the minister will attend the election process of Greece to the Security Council and meet with his counterparts from Denmark, Pakistan, Somalia, and Panama.

These are countries that are also candidates for non-permanent member state seats.

They are all due to be elected as the number of seats available is equal to the number of countries running.

In the evening on Wednesday, a reception is planned, where the foreign ministers of the candidate countries will have the opportunity to address the audience.

Gerapetritis will also meet with Guterres, with whom he is expected to discuss, Greece’s participation in the security council, as well as the progress of the contacts of Holguin, with the two sides in Cyprus.

Greek diplomacy will seek the largest possible number of votes in the election process.

Greece wants a high percentage of election, as this shows the momentum and support that each country receives in the security council.

Greece will begin its mandate in the security council on January 1, 2025. Until then, Greece’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Evangelos Sekeris, is expected to take part in the security council meetings as an observer to familiarise himself with the proceedings.