The President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, is awaiting responses to six or seven of the 19 proposals put forward by the Greek Cypriot side regarding confidence-building measures, the President of the Republic, Nicos Christodoulides, is awaiting responses regarding the substance and methodology of the Cyprus issue. He explained this upon his arrival at the Presidential Palace following his latest meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman, which he described as “good.”
As he said, the vast majority of the discussion focused on substantive issues and methodology, and both sides asked questions and sought clarifications, and the discussion will continue in the presence of the Personal Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General on the Cyprus Issue, María Ángela Olguín, who is scheduled to arrive in Cyprus on October 29, 2026.
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As part of her visit, bilateral meetings have already been scheduled, which are expected to culminate in a joint meeting between Christodoulides-Erciyaman-Olgin on November 9, 2026.
SEE ALSO: Christodoulides-Erciyurman-Olgin Trilateral Meeting on November 9: Until then, cultural and environmental issues on the agenda
Awaiting Responses to the Proposals
Referring to the 19 proposals submitted by the Greek Cypriot side, Nikos Christodoulides noted that some have been rejected, while responses to others are pending. According to him, approximately six to seven proposals remain pending, with the Turkish Cypriot leader requesting more time and clarification on certain issues in order to revisit them at their next meeting.
The President of the Republic made it clear that he does not intend, at this stage, to make the content of the proposals public, as discussions are ongoing. “We are much more interested in substance than in public relations,” he stated, noting that he will make the proposals public at a later stage so that the Cypriot people can be informed.
At the same time, he pointed out that the rejection of a proposal does not necessarily mean that it cannot be brought back to the negotiating table.
UN Press Statement 20 October 2026, Nicosia – The Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman and the Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides held a constructive meeting today under United Nations auspices in the United Nations Protected Area. The two leaders continued their discussion on confidence building measures, methodology and substance. They welcomed the upcoming arrival of the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General on Cyprus, María Ángela Holguín, expected on 29 October 2026. The two leaders also look forward to the bilateral meetings that they will have with the Personal Envoy as well as the trilateral meeting scheduled for 9 November 2026. They agreed to proceed with the initiatives related to the environment and the exchange of cultural artifacts. Prior to the arrival of the Personal Envoy, the two leaders intend to meet the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage and the Technical Committee on Youth, as well as the Steering Committee of the Civil Society Consultative Body. Finally, the two leaders agreed to meet next week to continue their discussions.
— UN Cyprus (@UN_CYPRUS) October 20, 2026
What About the Roadblocks?
Regarding the issue of roadblocks, Nikos Christodoulides revealed that he is awaiting a response to a specific proposal he has submitted. As he explained, he had submitted two alternative proposals, one of which was rejected. Regarding the second proposal, Tufan Erhurman requested clarification during today’s meeting, and the President of the Republic is awaiting his response at their next meeting. He declined to provide further details, explaining that he does not consider it appropriate to disclose information while the dialogue is ongoing.
When asked to provide further details, the President of the Republic said, “I do not wish to comment publicly. There is a reason why I did not proceed with the public release of the 19 points. At some point, I will do so to inform the Cypriot people. But because discussions—a dialogue—are currently underway, I do not consider it appropriate at this time. We are much more interested in the substance than in the communication.”
When asked whether this concerns the passage on Lidenis Street or the roadblock at Athenou, the President of the Republic said, “Let’s not take the path of exclusion. The Pyroi-Athenou roadblock is a basic prerequisite. It concerns some new proposals.”
READ ALSO: We’ve learned what the “significant initiative” on the Cyprus issue in the EU is: Who has contacts in Brussels, and when is Olgin coming to Nicosia?
Positive Response to Exchange of Cultural Artifacts
The President of the Republic noted a positive response to the Greek Cypriot side’s proposal for an exchange of cultural artifacts between the two communities. As he noted, the proposal had also been discussed at the previous meeting between the two leaders, and the exchange of relevant lists is now expected so that the process can move forward.
At the same time, it was agreed to promote joint environmental initiatives through the relevant Technical Committee.
Prior to the arrival of María Ángela Olguín, the two leaders also intend to meet with the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage, the Technical Committee on Youth, and the Coordinating Committee of the Civil Society Advisory Body.
Two factors for the expanded conference
When asked whether recent developments are bringing the two sides closer to the goal of convening an expanded conference under the auspices of the United Nations Secretary-General, Nikos Christodoulides indicated that two factors will play a decisive role.
The first concerns the progress of discussions on substantive and methodological issues during the Personal Envoy’s visit to Cyprus, both at the bilateral and trilateral levels. The second concerns the results of the European Union’s efforts, on which an update is expected. As he noted, the outcome of these two parallel efforts will determine the next steps toward the goal of an expanded conference.
When asked if he was referring to the meeting between Mr. Fidan and Mr. Costa, the President of the Republic said, “I do not wish to comment, since the EU has not yet made an announcement. We know there is an important meeting today; as for who is involved, I don’t need to mention that at this time, at least. Today we will be briefed on the results of this meeting.”
READ ALSO: Major EU initiative on the Cyprus issue underway: What the President said as he departed for the new meeting with Erhurman
New meeting next week
The President of the Republic announced that a new meeting with the Turkish Cypriot leader will take place next week, most likely on Tuesday, with the exact schedule to be determined. Regarding the visit of María Ángela Olguín, he noted that meetings have already been scheduled, while he did not rule out the possibility of additional meetings if deemed necessary.
Finally, when asked whether he would request that the Personal Envoy provide him with the terms of reference before the start of negotiations, Nikos Christodoulides declined to give a specific answer. As he noted, he prefers to first discuss the issue with Ms. Olgin herself and then make a public statement, noting that the Greek Cypriot side’s position on the matter is well known.
