Nicosia, Cyprus. Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman said on Monday that President Nikos Christodoulides did not keep promises related to confidence-building measures between the island’s two sides. He made the remarks at a press conference marking his 100th day in office.
Unmet deadlines on halloumi and crossings
Erhurman said promises had been made regarding halloumi and the Astromeritis and Dherynia crossing points, with an understanding that the issues would be resolved by January 31. He said those commitments were not met.
He said the confidence-building measures had been agreed at a tripartite meeting between the two leaders and United Nations envoy Maria Angela Holguin in December, and referred to Holguin’s visit to the island last week.
UN expectations and trust for further talks
Erhurman said Holguin had indicated that if solutions are not found in Nicosia, an enlarged meeting should not be expected to take place. He said this showed the UN expects solutions to be found in Nicosia and added that an enlarged meeting cannot be held without an atmosphere of trust.
Benefits of a solution and impacts on both sides
Erhurman said a solution to the Cyprus problem would benefit everyone. He rejected suggestions that a solution would benefit only Turkish Cypriots when asked by television channel Kanal Sim’s Serhat Incirli.
After Incirli described the Cyprus problem as a five-sided matter in which four sides are states and the fifth is Turkish Cypriots, Erhurman said the Greek Cypriot side also faces negative consequences due to the unresolved situation.
Security agreements and the Cyprus problem
Erhurman pointed to military-based agreements the Republic of Cyprus is entering into with the United States and Israel, and said possibly soon India as well. When pressed, he said the reason behind these agreements is the Cyprus problem itself.
He said Christodoulides is making international links with the aim of counterbalancing the Republic of Turkey in the field of security, and said the unresolved Cyprus problem is the source of this. He added that he believes these types of agreements are not ones Christodoulides would enter into under normal circumstances, and said that at present southern Cyprus feels a risk and a sense of alarm at Turkey’s presence in the region.
What do you think is needed to restore trust before any enlarged meeting can be held?