Cyprus
Christodoulides sees a “window of opportunity” on Cyprus: new meeting with Erhürman, UN has finished its record of convergences
Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides said on Monday, October 12, that he justifiably believes there is a window of opportunity on the Cyprus problem, on the eve of a new meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman.
“I justifiably believe there is a window of opportunity.” With these words Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides described the state of the Cyprus problem on Monday, October 12, on the eve of a new meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman. He was speaking at the Presidential Palace to the mayor and council members of Morphou, to a European Parliament delegation and to participants in the 46th Anti-Occupation March of the Municipality of Morphou, according to the Presidency.
The aim, he said, is one: “to resume the talks from where they broke off in 2017”. Tuesday’s meeting, October 13, takes place “on our own initiative”, he stressed, so as to discuss more concretely how that goal will be achieved. Erhürman was elected last year amid high expectations.
The document of convergences
According to the president, the document recording the convergences from the earlier negotiations “has been completed by the United Nations” and should be submitted to all parties, so that after their comments it can form the basis for the new talks. Meanwhile, the Greek Cypriot side has submitted to the Turkish Cypriot leader and to the UN Secretary-General “new, very specific, different” proposals on methodology, substance and confidence-building measures. The Turkish Cypriot side, he said, replied that it would study them: “there was neither approval nor rejection”.
Government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis clarified that there are 19 proposals and that the convergences document has not yet been given to the sides. Asked about the position of the UN Secretary-General’s personal envoy, María Ángela Holguín, that the document will be handed over once negotiations start, he said Nicosia has told the UN this was “the initial arrangement” and that “the other side of course does not share that view”. Progress, he added, could also be made on the crossing points.
The UN, the EU and Turkey
Christodoulides said Nicosia is also in contact with the candidates to succeed the Secretary-General, with the message that the form of a solution “does not change when the Secretary-General changes”. On the EU, he said it can play a “decisive role”, including on EU-Turkey relations: “there is interest on Turkey’s side in a fresh start”, particularly on the Customs Union, and Nicosia has submitted specific proposals to Raffaele Fitto, to the President of the Commission and to the President of the European Council.
Letymbiotis also confirmed that the Republic of Cyprus received, after diplomatic action in coordination with European partners, an invitation to the COP31 climate conference hosted by Turkey in Antalya, since there had earlier been an attempt not to invite it. The invitation is addressed to the president, and who will attend will be announced. Relations between Nicosia and Washington were highlighted recently when Donald Trump reposted an interview with Christodoulides.
