Nicosia, Cyprus. Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman said reports that United States President Donald Trump may intervene in the Cyprus problem are “a rumour” and not based on official contacts.
Erhurman’s response to intervention claims
Erhurman told television channel Kanal Sim that no official communication had been received and said he did not consider the claims accurate. He added that the issue had become “even more international” in the current context, and said it was common knowledge that regional and international powers other than the island’s three guarantor powers—Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom—were also involved around the negotiating table.
He said approaches which suggest the problem is being solved from the outside are not correct, adding that while rumours are heard, there is no such situation in official contacts.
Christodoulides’ comments on discussion with Trump
Erhurman’s remarks followed comments by President Nikos Christodoulides, who said in October that he discussed the Cyprus problem with Trump on the sidelines of a summit on the future of Gaza in the Egyptian city of Sharm El-Sheikh. Asked what was discussed, Christodoulides said, “all I can say is that the issue discussed was the Cyprus issue”.
Claims by Turkish opposition leader Ozgur Ozel
Earlier, Turkish opposition political party CHP leader Ozgur Ozel alleged that the status of Cyprus was a key part of a deal brokered by Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to allow Erdogan to arrest Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu.
Ozel referred to Imamoglu’s arrest, and said his party has since chosen him to stand in the next Turkish presidential election, as a “coup d’état”. He said, “Recep Tayyip Erdogan received the permission for the March 19 coup d’état from Trump”, adding that Imamoglu was arrested on March 19 last year.
Ozel also said, “The March 19 coup d’état was carried out with the support of the US. After the March 19 coup d’état, the Cyprus case was abandoned, in return for [the US] remaining silent about the March 19 coup d’état.”
Reference to Turkic republics and EU declaration
Ozel said no voice was raised when the Turkic republics recognised southern Cyprus, referring to a joint declaration signed last year by Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan with the European Union which ruled out the prospect of any of them recognising the north as an independent country.
What do you think would be required for rumours of external intervention in the Cyprus problem to be confirmed through official channels?