Newsroom
A Turkish newspaper has published claims about an alleged draft Cyprus settlement framework linked to the UN secretary-general's personal envoy, Maria Angela Holguín, sparking fresh discussion around the long-running Cyprus issue, though nothing has been confirmed.
According to the report by Yeni Akit, the supposed plan outlines a “very loose federation” between two constituent states, with political equality and a central government with limited powers.
In simpler terms, the newspaper claims a structure where both sides would keep significant autonomy while still sitting under one overall framework.
The report goes further, saying the draft could include territorial adjustments, including the return of areas such as Varosha, Morphou, and parts of the Mesaoria region to the Greek Cypriot side. In exchange, Turkish Cypriots would reportedly gain openings in areas like direct trade, flights, and broader international contacts.
Another major claim is that the current 1960 system of guarantees could be replaced by a NATO-style security arrangement involving countries such as the US, France, Greece, and the UK, alongside a gradual withdrawal of Turkish troops over a two- to three-year transition period.
It also alleges that the future arrangement could involve the departure of a number of Turkish nationals currently living in the occupied north and a closer link between any Cyprus settlement and EU-Turkey relations.
None of these claims have been verified, and they are being reported solely as part of the Turkish press coverage.
The story has also drawn commentary from Sabahatting İsmail, a former adviser to late Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktaş, who argued that the alleged ideas resemble elements of the Annan Plan but would be less favorable for the Turkish Cypriot side, particularly on security guarantees.
He suggested that such a framework could gradually reduce Turkey’s role on the island and reshape its influence in the Eastern Mediterranean.
