Newsroom
Despite his campaign pledge to open direct communication with President Nikos Christodoulides, newly elected Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman has so far remained silent.
According to government sources, Christodoulides has attempted twice since October 19, the day of Erhurman’s election, to contact him but received no reply.
During his campaign, Erhurman had said that even if Christodoulides did not initiate contact, he himself would call the Cypriot president within a week of being elected. That call never came.
In the meantime, reports in the north suggest that Erhurman has focused his early efforts on reassuring Ankara of his alignment with Turkey’s positions on Cyprus, including the continued presence of Turkish troops, the maintenance of security guarantees, and the principle of “political equality.”
Some local analysts believe Erhurman is waiting for guidance from Ankara, possibly after a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan or Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, before defining his next steps.
Others note that while Fidan reportedly played a behind-the-scenes role in ensuring Erhurman’s election victory, he has also publicly reaffirmed Turkey’s commitment to a two-state solution, suggesting there may be little room for immediate flexibility.
For now, the silence between Nicosia and Erhurman’s office is seen as a missed opportunity for a symbolic first gesture of goodwill, one that many hoped would signal a softer tone and a possible reopening of dialogue on the Cyprus issue.
