Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman said recent negative developments have undermined trust between the two sides, following his meeting with President Nikos Christodoulides.
According to the Turkish Cypriot press and a social media post by Erhürman, the meeting took place “under the shadow of the negative developments of recent days”.
Erhürman said the Turkish Cypriot side presented its views on these developments at the start of the meeting, arguing that they run counter to the basic logic of the Confidence-Building Measures (CBMs).
CBMs and areas for progress
Erhürman said his side is ready to make progress on issues raised by the UN Secretary-General, including demining, opening new crossing points, citizenship rights for children from mixed marriages, sports-related issues, irregular migration and the creation of joint mechanisms to respond to natural disasters.
He said the recent developments had moved in the opposite direction to the purpose of the CBMs and had further damaged trust rather than strengthening it.
Political equality remains key issue
Regarding the methodology of the negotiations, Erhürman reiterated the Turkish Cypriot position on political equality.
He argued that political equality cannot be treated as an issue for a “give-and-take” process with other matters.
Without clarification on the issue, he said, he does not consider progress possible on other aspects of the negotiating methodology, including convergences, or on substantive issues.
Leaders to meet weekly
Erhürman said the two leaders had agreed, following an earlier proposal by the Turkish Cypriot side, to meet once a week.
UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy Maria Angela Holguin is expected to visit Cyprus towards the end of the first week of September.
Erhürman said he would continue working in good faith towards a settlement of the Cyprus problem and would convey his views directly to his interlocutor on developments that could affect the process.
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