President Nikos Christodoulides has said he believes he and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman can “make history” through Cyprus reunification talks, stressing that Greek Cypriots have no alternative plan to reunifying the island.
In his first interview with a Turkish Cypriot media outlet in three years, Christodoulides told Yeni Duzen that the status quo prevents Cyprus from realising its full potential.
“As Greek Cypriots, we do not have a Plan B. The only possible solution is the reunification of Cyprus,” he said.
“If everything were in Mr Erhurman’s hands and mine, we could reach a solution by next week. But the decision does not depend only on us. I believe that Mr Erhurman genuinely wants a solution as well.”
‘Everyone says they want a solution’
Christodoulides said the negotiating table would ultimately test the commitment of all sides.
“Everyone says they want a solution. The negotiating table is where we will all be tested,” he said.
He acknowledged that any eventual agreement would require mutual concessions.
“At the end of the day, there will be mutual compromises. No one will be able to get everything they are seeking,” he said.
“If we cannot reunify our country, the only ones who will lose from the existing status quo are Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. No one else.”
Proposal for cross-negotiations
Christodoulides said he had proposed to Erhurman a method of “cross-negotiations”, under which the six chapters of the Cyprus problem would be discussed in pairs, similar to the approach followed at Crans-Montana.
“We should discuss the six chapters in groups of two, at two different tables, as was done at Crans-Montana. For example, we should discuss territory and property together. We should discuss governance together with security and guarantees,” he said.
“If we negotiate in this way, and I experienced this myself because this is what we did at Crans-Montana, we saw that it was successful.”
Referring to proposals put forward by the Turkish Cypriot leader, Christodoulides said the only point on which he disagreed regarding negotiating methodology was the issue of predetermined sanctions.
Christodoulides would campaign for settlement plan
The president also said he would not put a settlement plan to a referendum unless he personally supported it.
“I will not take a plan with which I disagree to a referendum. I will take a plan with which I agree and, of course, I will campaign in favour of that plan,” he said.
“Otherwise, what would be the point? I will take responsibility and will not put it to the people’s vote.”
Christodoulides said the UN Secretary-General had been clear during his visit to Cyprus that substantive issues should be discussed while taking into account the convergences reached up to the final day of the Crans-Montana negotiations.
From his perspective, he said, the only issue currently outstanding is confidence-building measures, with UN envoy Maria Angela Holguin already preparing the relevant list.
“If we leave aside the Crans-Montana convergences, we will have gone very far backwards,” he said. “The convergences from all sides were achieved during Crans-Montana, and the reason for that was the Guterres Framework.”
Progress could pave way for 5+1 meeting
“If we go to the UN General Assembly at the end of September having made progress, we will have paved the way for the 5+1,” Christodoulides said.
He clarified, however, that progress on confidence-building measures was not a prerequisite for holding an expanded meeting, adding that such measures would be implemented much more easily once negotiations begin.
On crossing points, he said the UN Secretary-General was seeking “a reasonable agreement”.
Turkey-EU relations part of strategy
Turning to Ankara’s role in Cyprus reunification talks, Christodoulides said Turkey would resolve the Cyprus problem when it concluded that the benefits of a settlement outweighed those it derives from the existing status quo.
He said this was why he was pursuing two processes in parallel: restarting negotiations and achieving progress in Turkey-EU relations.
“We cannot change geography. We want to have good relations with Turkey, as we do with all our neighbours,” he said.
Christodoulides also stressed that Cyprus’s regional alliances were not established against Turkey or the Turkish Cypriots.
‘I will never accept’ two-state solution
The president categorically rejected partition and said he supported confidence-building measures that contribute to efforts for a bizonal, bicommunal federation.
However, he said he would not support measures that effectively normalise the status quo or encourage the idea of the two communities living alongside each other as separate neighbours.
“That means a two-state solution. And I will never, ever accept that,” he said.
“That would be a disaster for Greek Cypriots. And, if you ask my humble opinion, it would also be a disaster for Turkish Cypriots.”
‘Our future is shared’
Asked what message he would send to Turkish Cypriots, Christodoulides said the two communities shared a common future.
“Our future is shared. We have a common future in a united Cyprus that is a member of the European Union,” he said.
“I truly believe that the European Union could address and overcome all our concerns. Both the concerns of Greek Cypriots and those of Turkish Cypriots.”
Asked who would guarantee the implementation of a settlement, Christodoulides said the EU’s role was crucial.
“The role of the EU in this process is of decisive importance. The EU is the strongest guarantee for the concerns of Turkish Cypriots.”
Christodoulides also expressed his solidarity with the Turkish Cypriot community following the shipwreck off Kyrenia.
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