Erhürman: Christodoulides is Wearing a Mask of Being Pro-Solution

Tufan Erhürman, leader of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), evaluated recent meetings in New York and underlined that their international outreach will not stop there. "We won’t stop at New York, we will also visit European Union capitals," he stated. Highlighting CTP’s proposals on how the new negotiation process should begin, Erhürman stressed, “These are not preconditions; they are the words of the United Nations, and the UN must stand by its words.”

During a press briefing, Erhürman criticized Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides for pretending to be the side that wants a solution, emphasizing that this facade must be exposed. More meetings with journalists are planned in the coming days.

Important Meetings Continue

Erhürman explained that they attended the Socialist International meeting in New York, where they held key international talks. He mentioned discussions with several prominent figures, including Russia’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Anna Evstigneeva, EU External Action Service Director General for Europe and Asia Angelina Eichhorst, and UN Director General for Europe and Central Asia Kayoko Gotoh, among others.

Erhürman emphasized that CTP’s international efforts would continue: “We will not stop at New York. We will visit European Union capitals and maintain close dialogue with Turkey,” he said, underscoring the importance of the Turkish Cypriot people’s global relations.

Results-Oriented Negotiations

The primary goal of the New York meetings, according to Erhürman, was to communicate the status of the Cyprus issue to the world. He reiterated CTP’s support for a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation based on political equality. "For us, the acceptance of political equality is a must before any new negotiation table is established. Our goal is to begin negotiations that will lead to a result," he said. Erhürman also stated that any new negotiations must be results-driven and not start from scratch, as the convergences are already clear.

"No Return to the Status Quo"

Erhürman called on the United Nations to adhere to its commitments regarding the Cyprus peace process. He emphasized that the principles established by the UN should not be up for debate. “Rotating presidency has been clearly defined by the UN and is not up for negotiation,” he said, referring to earlier UN frameworks. He also noted that the UN Secretary-General has urged time-limited and results-oriented negotiations and warned that if talks collapse due to Greek Cypriot stalling, there will be no return to the status quo, a reality recognized since the Annan Plan.

"Christodoulides’ Mask Must Be Removed"

Erhürman accused Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides of creating a false pro-solution image. "If Christodoulides genuinely wanted to continue from where things left off, why did he stop the process in the first place?" he questioned. He urged the international community to see Christodoulides for what he is, calling him an unreliable negotiating partner.

Dialogue Will Continue

Recognizing the international nature of the Cyprus issue, Erhürman noted that regional developments significantly impact Cyprus. He emphasized that both sides are committed to keeping the dialogue alive. "The dialogue process will not break down, because regional necessities require its continuation," he said, reiterating that both sides understand their positions and the process must continue.