Nicosia, Cyprus. The Turkish Cypriot ‘foreign ministry’ on Friday rejected President Nikos Christodoulides’ claim that there is a window of opportunity for a resumption of Cyprus talks before the end of the year, calling the statement far from the truth.
Dismissal of Christodoulides’ remarks
The ministry said the idea of such a window of opportunity amounted to an empty perception operation aimed at misleading international public opinion.
It said the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’ stance was clear and unwavering, and accused the Greek Cypriot side of continuing an archaic mentality of not recognising the Turkish Cypriot people as equal partners and claiming to be the sole owner of the island.
The ministry added that the model tried for more than half a century had collapsed because of the Greek Cypriot side, its maximalist demands and its approach of ignoring the Turkish Cypriot people’s inherent rights.
It said expecting different results with the same methods was a waste of time.
Position on a future settlement
The ministry said it had shared with all relevant parties that a solution on the island is only possible with the acceptance of the sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
It added that a new process will only be possible if the sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is recognised.
An agreement between the two sides on the island is only possible with the existence of two independent, sovereign states living side by side and the acceptance of this reality, it said.
Different views within the Turkish Cypriot side
The position set out by the ‘foreign ministry’ and ‘minister’ Tahsin Ertugruloglu is not shared by Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman.
Erhurman has published a four-point proposal that he says must be fulfilled before negotiations commence.
Those points, which he does not describe as preconditions, say the Greek Cypriot side should accept political equality, negotiations should be time-limited, all past agreements should be preserved, and the UN should guarantee that embargoes on the Turkish Cypriots will be lifted if the Greek Cypriot side leaves the negotiating table again.
