UN chief names a new envoy to scope out the chances of reviving Cyprus peace talks

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday named a former Colombian foreign minister as his personal envoy to scope out the chances of reviving talks to resolve Cyprus' ethnic divide, an issue that has defied international diplomacy for nearly five decades.

María Ángela Holguín Cuéllar will work on Guterres' behalf to "search for common ground on the way forward" and to serve as the UN chief's advisor on Cyprus, UN associate spokesperson Stephanie Tremblay said.

Cuéllar served as Colombia's top diplomat during 2010-2018 and as the country's representative to the UN during 2004-2006.

She is expected to travel to Cyprus soon to sound out Greek Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and the leader of the breakaway Turkish Cypriots, Ersin Tatar.

Cyprus was divided into ethnic Greek and Turkish sides in 1974, when Turkey invaded just days after a coup...