Turkish Cypriot leader says ready for progress on seven tracks
In Cyprus, Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman said that the Turkish Cypriot side is ready for progress on seven tracks of the Cyprus settlement. According to him, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had asked for progress on these issues. Among them, Erhurman named crossing points, demining, citizenship for children of mixed marriages, sports, joint disaster response and a mechanism to combat irregular migration.
Erhurman told Kanal Sim that the Turkish Cypriot side is ready to move forward on all tracks. According to him, “everything is ready” on six of them, while questions remain regarding new crossing points, which the side is also ready to overcome, Cyprus Mail reports.
Sports and disaster assistance
The Turkish Cypriot leader criticised President Nikos Christodoulides over his position on measures that could imply an upgrade in the status of the TRNC. Erhurman questioned whether allowing children aged 11–12 to play football or creating a disaster assistance mechanism could lead to recognition.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
He also mentioned initiatives by the Greek Cypriot side to cancel international events involving the Turkish Cypriot community. In particular, these concerned a children’s football camp organised by FC Barcelona and a music festival in Kyrenia. Erhurman said he was ready to provide any assistance if an emergency occurred in the south or north of the island.
Conditions for an expanded meeting
Erhurman confirmed that he would meet Guterres in New York next week. At the same time, he opposed an expanded meeting on the Cyprus issue, which, in his view, would not produce results.
According to Erhurman, a “five plus one” format should not be held without progress on confidence-building measures, methodology and substantive issues. Such a meeting involves the two sides on the island, the three guarantor states — Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom — and the UN. He also said that the methodology for a possible resumption of negotiations must be developed anew, and that political equality and a rotating presidency are unacceptable to him as bargaining chips.
