By This post is also available in: ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ (GREEK) TÜRKÇE (TURKISH)
President Erhürman is absolutely right…
So, what does he say?
“It is not something anyone can expect from two leaders who cannot even produce a solution on such a simple issue that would make daily life easier for both Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots to produce a solution on the substance of the Cyprus problem.”
He is absolutely right…
There is currently a strong perception as such in the public sphere.
Erhürman is aware of this…
In this context, his meeting with Christodoulides directly, ‘without a UN observer’, towards the end of this month also bares risks.
This will be a very serious test for both leaders…
Unfortunately, their ‘performance’ to date shows that they have not even managed to take ‘minor joint decisions’.
This ‘lack of political will’ also found reflection in the words of the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative, Holguin.
The experienced Colombian diplomat could not hide her ‘jadedness’…
For example, she emphasized the futility of the leaders’ ‘fickle’ statements, saying, “Just exerting pressure and playing for time, or blaming a third party, serves no one.”
She had to say that “time is needed for the leaders’ ideas to mature.”
When she announced that there would be a ‘lull’ until July due to the Greek Cypriot parliamentary elections in May and the EU Presidency, that she would not be coming here, and that there would be no 5+1 meeting, the Greek Cypriot side was furious.
On Sunday, Christodulides described Holguin’s comments on the Greek Cypriot elections as ‘ridiculous’, without naming names.
He used the phrase ‘absurd argument’.
He said that the Greek Cypriot side was ready to participate in an expanded meeting “as early as next week.”
After this statement, it became even clearer how far apart Christodoulides and Erhürman were ‘swinging their swords’ in different ‘arenas’.
The Greek Cypriot side seems to be focused on ‘negotiations’, while the Turkish Cypriot side seems to be focused on ‘confidence-building measures’.
Christodoulides belittles the Turkish Cypriot side’s ‘preconditions’, even ignoring them…
In a new statement on Sunday, he said that “the issue of political equality was closed with the written statement made at the previous meeting”. Christodoulides also states that, “Erhürman’s four points no longer exist, as each has already been answered.”
In other words, he is ignoring Erhürman’s ‘preconditions’ and, pointing to the ‘negotiating table’, saying, “Let’s sit down and talk over there, test me.”
Does Christodoulides really want ‘negotiations’, or is he applying a ‘pressure’ as such since he knows about Erhürman’s ‘difficulties’ stemming from Ankara?
The degree to which he is ‘sincere’ about this issue is questionable…
As long as Turkey’s ‘two-state’ policy remains in place, it seems that Christodoulides prefers to play within this ‘field’ because he knows that it is impossible for Erhürman to discuss a ‘federal solution’ in negotiations under the given circumstances.
In other words, he has opened up a new ‘field’ for himself, which he believes to be strong, against the Turkish side’s ‘preconditions’ and Turkey’s separatist policy…
For this reason, he has distanced himself from the realm of ‘confidence-building measures’.
In fact, at the last meeting on January 28, Christodoulides proposed a five-point ‘roadmap’ and suggested convening a ‘five-party’ conference, where even the check points to be opened would be announced.
The Turkish side, on the other hand, grants ‘understandable’ priority to the issue of openings.
The opening of new check points is actually a matter that was ‘agreed upon’ between Christodulides and Ersin Tatar last March in the presence of the UN Secretary-General.
Secretary-General Guterres has clearly supported this, and even the Security Council has made an ‘unambiguous’ statement of support on this issue.
The Secretary-General’s Representative, Maria Angela Holguin, has also stated that “if [she] had to choose one priority, it would be the opening of new check points.”
The Turkish Cypriot side is taking a ‘close’ stance with the UN on this issue.
So, is opening new check points really that difficult?
First, let’s look at the ‘positions’ of both parties…
The Greek Cypriot side proposes four border crossings: Kokkina, Mia Milia, Louroujina, and Athienou…
Erhürman says:
“The Mia Milia and Louroujina check points are beneficial for both Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots. The Athienou-Aglantzia check point would be more important for Greek Cypriots traveling from Larnaca to Nicosia. Yet, from our perspective, there is no problem.
In line with the ‘problems’ raised by Mr. Christodoulides to date regarding this crossing, we have made four separate constructive proposals, including the construction of a new road on our side, to address the ‘problems’ raised.
In other words, it appears that there is an ‘agreement’ between the two sides on the locations of the other crossings, except for Kokkina.
In this case, the two leaders can announce that the ‘crossings’ they agreed upon will be opened during their first meeting at the end of February, without a ‘UN observer’.
This would be a ‘small step’ forward…
In fact, since there are no ‘problems’ regarding Mia Milia and Louroujina, they can at least give the ‘start’ for these two check points.
If that is not possible, they can work on a new proposal with a very simple arrangement at the Famagusta Gate in Nicosia.
Honestly, I’m surprised they aren’t talking about the Famagusta Gate.
Since 70% of crossings are made through Nicosia and the congestion is here, then open the Famagusta Gate and save face…
Let’s see if they can manage that.
This article was originally published on 17.02.2026
