"The ground is beginning to be laid for renegotiation" on the Cyprus issue, said Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman, noting at the same time that “it is not possible” to convene a five-party (5+1) meeting without Turkey’s participation.
In an interview on a television program in the occupied territories, Mr. Erhurman described the recent visit by UN Secretary-General António Guterres as successful, pointing out that “to say that he came for a vacation and to say goodbye is just as wrong as saying that he came for a solution.”
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He added that Mr. Guterres came with a serious delegation, devoted time to the issue, and called for the convening of the 5+1 group on the basis of the Confidence-Building Measures (CBMs), its methodology and substance. “I’m not negotiating just for the sake of negotiating; I want result-oriented negotiations,” stated the Turkish Cypriot leader, noting that this is also what the UN Secretary-General is seeking.
Referring to his meeting with the President of the Republic, Nicos Christodoulides, on August 26, Mr. Erhurman said that following Guterres’s visit, he requested “since tasks have been assigned, that we meet at least once a week,” adding that no specific agenda has been set.
Regarding the Joint Working Groups, Mr. Erhurman stated that the discussions focused on crossing points and demining. He accused President Christodoulides of proposing crossing points different from those agreed upon in New York, thereby preventing an agreement from being reached. On the issue of landmines, he noted that President Christodoulides postponed it until after a solution is reached, citing the presence of tanks.
Referring to statements by the President of the Republic regarding arrests for the misappropriation of Greek Cypriot properties, he noted that “the statement ‘we will arrest if necessary’ shows that the arrests are political,” and claimed that President Christodoulides allegedly “admitted that the law is being used as a political tool”.
When asked about the solution model, Mr. Erhurman emphasized that “we should not be discussing the name of the model, but rather its content, the transition period, and the steps that will make life easier for the communities.” He recalled that “in 2004, those who said ‘no’ to a federation in southern Cyprus were ‘federalists’ then and remain so today.”
He also noted that “there is no alternative but to proceed in coordination with Turkey. A 5+1 meeting is not possible without Turkey. No settlement agreement to which Turkey does not say ‘yes’ can come into effect, and this applies to the other guarantors as well.”
He also pointed out that “for the first time, international developments are creating the perception that a solution to the Cyprus problem is necessary” for regional stability.
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Source: CNA
