A UN envoy says her experience in Colombia deal may help her efforts in restarting Cyprus talks

By MENELAOS HADJICOSTIS
Associated Press

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — A United Nations official says her experience in negotiating an end to decades of conflict in her native Colombia may help her as she seeks to rekindle negotiations over Cyprus’ ethnic division. María Ángela Holguín Cuellar, the U.N. chief’s new personal envoy for Cyprus, said on Tuesday that she believes she can work with both Greek Cypriots in the island’s internationally recognized south and Turkish Cypriots in the breakaway north to get them back to the negotiating table after years of stalemate. Holguín served as Colombia’s top diplomat between 2010-2018. It’s her first visit to Cyprus after her appointment as envoy earlier this month. She is also meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar later on Tuesday.