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Cyprus is shifting its tone toward Turkey, even as Ankara continues to occupy a third of the island, with President Nikos Christodoulides calling for renewed dialogue and closer ties to the European Union.
“We have changed our approach regarding EU–Turkey relations,” Christodoulides told the Financial Times. “Turkey will always be Cyprus’ neighbor, so I prefer a neighbor that is closer to the European Union.”
Christodoulides proposed small confidence-building measures, like visa access for Turkish businesspeople and opening a Turkish port to Cypriot-flagged ships, something blocked since 1987.
Ahead of Cyprus’ EU presidency in January, Christodoulides has suggested inviting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan or Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to informal EU meetings, a move he says could send a positive signal about EU–Turkey relations.
He also called for peace talks to resume with the Turkish Cypriots, picking up from where the 2017 Crans-Montana summit left off. “We came so close… If we start from where we stopped, it’s possible,” he said.
Christodoulides proposed small confidence-building measures, like visa access for Turkish businesspeople and opening a Turkish port to Cypriot-flagged ships, something blocked since 1987.
Still, he acknowledged that some EU member states may resist the outreach. “The European Commission may be ready, but I’m not sure if the member states are ready, or if they’re hiding behind Cyprus,” he said.
