Newsroom
Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman says he does not want another high-level Cyprus meeting simply to produce photographs, statements, and another promise to keep talking.
Ahead of his trip to New York on Wednesday, Erhurman called for a new 5+1 meeting whose chances of producing results would be secured through serious preparation in Nicosia.
His message was straightforward: after years of failed attempts, talks should not be held merely for the sake of holding talks.
“We want a 5+1 meeting whose results will be guaranteed in advance by the meetings taking place in Nicosia,” Erhurman wrote, adding that any renewed negotiations should lead toward a settlement.
The 5+1 format brings together the leaders of Cyprus’ two communities, guarantor powers Greece, Turkey and Britain, and the United Nations.
While the politics may sound familiar, some of the issues now on the table are part of everyday life on the island.
Erhurman said UN Secretary-General António Guterres has proposed joint mechanisms covering crossing points, demining, disaster response, and irregular migration. Other proposals concern EU citizenship rights for children from mixed marriages, as well as cooperation on sport and civil society.
Progress in these areas would not solve the Cyprus problem. It could, however, make a practical difference to people crossing the divide, families caught in legal uncertainty, and communities facing fires, earthquakes, or other emergencies.
Erhurman is due to meet Guterres and the UN chief’s personal envoy for Cyprus, Maria Angela Holguin, during his visit. It will be his third meeting with the secretary-general during his 11 months as Turkish Cypriot leader.
According to Erhurman, Guterres has made clear that significant work remains before another 5+1 meeting can be convened and that the mistakes of previous efforts should not be repeated.
That appears to be one point on which they agree.
Erhurman said progress is needed both on confidence-building measures and on the method that would guide any new negotiating process. Referring to Guterres’ words following the failed talks at Crans-Montana, he said that “this time must be different.”
