Erhurman says isolation of Turkish Cypriots harms Cyprus solution efforts

Kyrenia, Cyprus. Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman said on Friday that attempts to render Turkish Cypriots “invisible” harm efforts to reach a solution to the Cyprus problem.

His comments followed the cancellation of a music festival in Kyrenia after political pressure from the Greek Cypriot side, and telephone calls from the foreign ministry discouraging diplomats from attending a briefing by his undersecretary, Mehmet Dana.

Claims over confidence-building measures

Erhurman said Greek Cypriot diplomacy had for some time conducted a campaign based on the view that lifting or easing the isolation of Turkish Cypriots would reduce their desire for a solution, while new confidence-building measures would make the status quo more comfortable.

He said the Greek Cypriot side’s position was, in short, that easing isolation and implementing new confidence-building measures would not serve a solution but would make one more difficult.

Events and international participation

He said such statements appeared to be used to justify actions including preventing Turkish Cypriot negotiators from meeting ambassadors, the cancellation of a music event in Kyrenia, and obstacles to the participation of Turkish Cypriots in international events.

Erhurman referred to participation by athletes and folk dance groups among those affected.

Call for equal rights and trust

Erhurman said reluctance to implement confidence-building measures, obstruction of steps to lift or ease isolation, and attempts to render Turkish Cypriots invisible did not benefit efforts for a solution and instead harmed them.

He said these actions also damaged relations between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots. He added that recent United Nations emphasis on confidence-building measures showed that the organisation essentially shared this view.

Erhurman said a path to a solution required accepting that Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots were equal and had equal rights, while opening avenues to improve relations and build trust.

He said the Turkish Cypriot people had the will for a solution, but would not tolerate efforts to isolate their children from the world.