Yiannis Ioannou
A meeting last Thursday in Ankara between Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is being seen in both Nicosia and the Turkish Cypriot community as a necessary step following the “elections” in the north. The discussions offered a first glimpse of Turkey’s stance on ending the deadlock in Cyprus negotiations and on the position of the new Turkish Cypriot leader.
The meeting attracted scrutiny partly because of a delay in inviting Erhurman, yet both public statements and analysis in the following day suggest a mix of alignment, ambiguity, and cautious conflict management between Ankara and the north, handled carefully to avoid a rupture.
What was said
The one-hour meeting contained no explicit endorsement of a two-state solution from Erdogan, nor a direct reference to a bizonal, bicommunal federation from Erhurman. Erdogan opened by saying Turkey would “continue our national struggle to achieve a fair, lasting solution in Cyprus that aligns with the reality on the island, in close coordination with Mr. Erhurman.”
He added that Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots are assessing potential future steps within the Cyprus process and stressed that “Turkey’s position on Cyprus has always been clear.” Erdogan blamed the ongoing deadlock on the Greek Cypriot side, claiming it rejects sovereign equality and the equal international status of Turkish Cypriots, refusing to share political power or economic prosperity. He described the Greek Cypriot vision for Cyprus as reducing Turkish Cypriots to a minority within a dysfunctional state established in 1963 and criticized the EU for recognizing that administration as legitimate. Erdogan concluded that the “most realistic solution” is two states coexisting on the island, maintaining peace, prosperity, and security.
Erhurman responded in cautious terms, noting that the Cyprus problem has remained unresolved for decades, despite “the undisputed will for a solution” shown by Turkey and Turkish Cypriots. He emphasized that the issue affects not only the communities on Cyprus but also regional stability. He added that his efforts aim to resolve issues through dialogue and negotiation, seeking a “fair and lasting solution where everyone gains, and no one loses.” Erhurman also reaffirmed the four conditions the Turkish Cypriot side insists on before returning to formal talks, particularly regarding the status of Turkish Cypriots if negotiations fail.
The bigger picture
The meeting appears to signal Ankara’s green light for renewed talks, both under existing confidence-building measures and in the broader regional and EU-Turkey or U.S.-Turkey context.
Observers told “K” that Erhurman’s approach reflects a continuation of his pre-election strategy, balancing messages to Greek Cypriots with domestic political survival. The meeting also revealed a calculated ambiguity: while Turkey does not openly propose a two-state solution, the language suggests maintaining sovereign equality in any future settlement, whether as a federation, loose confederation, or other arrangement, while keeping the momentum toward breaking the deadlock for Turkish Cypriots and enhancing the so-called TRNC.
*Read the Greek version on Kathimerini and Kathimerini.com.cy
