The upcoming Guterres visit should not be viewed as a farewell trip or as a sign that a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus issue is imminent, Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman has said.
According to Kıbrıs newspaper, Erhürman made the remarks during an interview with KIBRIS TV, describing the visit by UN Secretary-General António Guterres as important but stressing that he would not participate in negotiations without substance.
“I will not negotiate for the sake of negotiating, nor will I attend a five-party meeting simply for the sake of holding one,” he said.
Focus on practical steps
Erhürman argued that opening new crossing points, resolving the citizenship rights of children from mixed marriages and enhancing cooperation in sport would help strengthen mutual trust between the two sides.
He added that the content of any future settlement matters more than the name given to the solution model. He also said Turkish Cypriots would not relinquish what he described as their rights over the island’s energy resources, maritime zones and natural wealth.
Comments on property issues
Addressing property disputes, Erhürman accused the Greek Cypriot leadership of using legal processes as a political tool and referred to the role of the Immovable Property Commission.
Commenting on the name of the breakaway entity in the occupied north, he said, “Our name and our system are known.”
Relations with the ‘government’
Erhürman also rejected suggestions that returning draft laws to the “parliament” reflected disagreements with the “government”.
He said the move was part of his constitutional responsibilities and maintained that differences should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy rather than confrontation.
Also read: Holguín meets EU’s Special Representative for the Cyprus issue
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