Christodoulides and Tatar clash over planned UN meeting

The possibility of a joint meeting between President Nikos Christodoulides of Cyprus and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar before UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York on August 13th appears highly uncertain. On Saturday evening, President Christodoulides revealed he had accepted an invitation from Guterres for a trilateral meeting and was awaiting Tatar's response. However, Tatar quickly refuted the claim, stating there was no such invitation and, if there were, he would reject it.

Observers of the Cyprus issue see the exchange of statements between Christodoulides and Tatar as a tactical maneuver, likely an early attempt to shape a blame-game narrative ahead of the UN General Assembly in New York this September.

When questioned about the Turkish Cypriot leadership’s denial of the invitation, President Christodoulides suggested that his Saturday revelation was part of a strategy to apply pressure on Tatar. This approach aims to highlight Tatar's reluctance to engage in a joint meeting, a stance evident during the recent mission to Cyprus by UN Special Envoy Jane Holl Lute.

Whether this tactic will prompt Tatar to agree to a trilateral meeting remains to be seen. Well-informed sources suggest that clarity on this issue is expected after further developments in New York.

Tatar's response indicates little hope for an immediate trilateral meeting before the UN General Assembly. His office issued a statement on Sunday reiterating that negotiations could only begin under conditions of sovereign equality and equal international status, accusing the Greek Cypriot side of attempting to create fait accompli and exert pressure on the Turkish side.

Christodoulides' statement drew attention not only from Tatar but also from the Turkish Cypriot opposition. Tufan Erhurman, leader of the Republican Turkish Party, criticized Christodoulides, accusing him of weakening credibility with his statement.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Rally and Volt expressed support for resuming Cyprus talks, while former leader Averof Neofytou suggested the government’s actions were more about political communication for domestic consumption.

As efforts to break the seven-year impasse on the Cyprus issue face potential setbacks, developments hinge on how UN Secretary-General Guterres proceeds. Two scenarios are possible: holding separate meetings with the leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly to secure a later trilateral meeting, or attempting to convene a trilateral meeting in New York immediately.

The coming weeks will determine whether these efforts can lead to meaningful progress.

[Summary of Yiannis Ioannou's original story in Greek published in Kathimerini's Cyprus edition]