Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman said that Cyprus peace talks have not reached the desired stage, following a three-hour trilateral meeting. He stressed that the principles of political equality and a rotating presidency must be accepted from the outset, and he criticised President Christodoulides’ new five-point proposal as offering nothing new.
Leaders agree on a direct meeting
Erhürman proposed that the two leaders meet without the presence of UN representatives, and President Christodoulides agreed to this arrangement.
Speaking after returning to the occupied areas, Erhürman said he first responded to Christodoulides’ previous seven-point proposal before reviewing the new five-point plan. “In reality, there is nothing new in these five points that we did not already know. They merely reiterate previous points,” he noted.
Rotating presidency and political equality
Erhürman emphasised that Cyprus peace talks must address the term lengths of both the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot presidents. He warned that without acceptance of a Turkish Cypriot presidency period, true political equality cannot exist.
“Once this principle is accepted, we can move forward and accept the previously agreed convergences before discussing the details,” he said.
He added that the process must have a clear timeline to avoid indefinite delays, stressing that his community has the will to find a solution.
Need for clear negotiation rules
Erhürman criticised the lack of clear procedures in past talks, recalling that eight years have passed since the Crans-Montana summit without substantive negotiation. “Rules must be clear before we begin substantive talks. Otherwise, we end up repeating past mistakes,” he said.
He also referenced past leaders, including Tassos Papadopoulos, highlighting the importance of principle-based negotiation to prevent time wasted at the table.
Progress on practical issues
On specific developments, Erhürman said that water distribution from the Mia Milia wastewater plant to the Greek Cypriot side has been addressed, and that maps of crossing points, including Pyroi–Aglantzia and Mia Milia, were presented at an informal 5+1 meeting in New York.
He clarified that his four-point methodology proposal is not a set of preconditions but a framework to guide negotiations efficiently. “If we agree on principles from the start, we can save time at the negotiation table. Either both sides will win, or both sides will lose,” he concluded.
Source: CNA
Featured photo: Philenews
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