Erhurman challenges reports he accepted and then rejected Varosha proposal

Varosha, Cyprus. Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman on Friday warned against “leaking”, “distortions” and “manipulations” following media reports that he had accepted and subsequently rejected a proposal to repopulate Varosha with Greek Cypriots under United Nations administration.

Questions over the reports

Erhurman said a newspaper in the south had reported that President Nikos Christodoulides presented him with a Varosha proposal, which he initially accepted before rejecting it on Turkey’s instructions.

He questioned whether the Greek Cypriot government had confirmed the account. According to the Greek Cypriot press, he said, the government had neither confirmed nor denied the proposal itself, let alone his alleged acceptance or rejection of it.

One-on-one meeting and timing

Erhurman raised three points in response. First, he said that if he had accepted or rejected any proposal, Christodoulides would have been the only person to hear his answer because their meeting was one-on-one. He questioned how a Greek Cypriot journalist could therefore have learned what he had said.

Second, he said Christodoulides had only raised his 19 new points for discussion at the leaders’ most recent meeting.

“If I said ‘yes’ at that meeting, when could I have possibly said ‘no’?” he asked.

Third, Erhurman questioned whether anyone would immediately accept a proposal concerning an issue as significant and sensitive as Varosha, particularly one made under the current media spotlight.

He asked whether he or any negotiator could be “that amateurish”, saying a negotiator would at least ask for time to examine the proposal.

Trust and contact with Turkey

Erhurman said answering those questions required only a little thought, logic and reasoning, rather than exceptional intelligence or knowledge. He suggested it was worth reflecting on who, or which side, felt the need to resort to leaks, distortions and manipulation.

He also questioned how much trust the “other side” could place in those using such methods.

Closing his statement, Erhurman said, “for the avoidance of doubt”, that he had “not even consulted with any Turkish official regarding such a proposal”.