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How the EU presidency can become an alibi for inertia
With next Thursday’s first meeting between Christodoulides and Erhürman now confirmed, a new chapter in the Cyprus problem is opening. If reports are accurate—that the Turkish Cypriot leader secured Erdoğan’s backstage approval to enter negotiations on condition that any fresh failure won’t see us reverting to today’s status quo—it’s obvious Erhürman will want to push things forward, possibly fast.
But here’s where a massive issue arises for Nikos Christodoulides. Will he shelve his grand project—Cyprus’s EU presidency—to actually work on the Cyprus issue? I personally don’t think he will. We’re just two months away from the president’s triumphant assumption of Europe’s “leading role,” and I’m certain he won’t complicate his priorities now under any circumstances. It reminds me a bit of Tassos Papadopoulos’s position in 2004 when, amongst his many other objections to the Annan Plan, he trotted out the argument: “We’re joining the EU in days, everything will change—why rush?” I reckon Christodoulides sees it much the same way: “We’re taking over the EU presidency in days, we’ll reshape the geopolitical landscape—why rush?”
If the international players—UN, US, EU—do him this favour, the Cyprus problem gets postponed for six months. Whatever momentum exists today from Erhürman’s stated willingness (which requires verification) to pick up where we left off at Crans-Montana will evaporate. And it’ll vanish completely if, during the EU presidency, Cyprus shows it’s looking elsewhere. But what if the presidency, instead of being an alibi for inertia, could become the catalyst for dramatic developments on the Cyprus problem?
President Christodoulides has announced his intention to invite Tayyip Erdoğan to the EU summit in Nicosia. An invitation that—under present circumstances—will meet with precisely zero response. But what would happen if Christodoulides invited not just Erdoğan but also the Turkish Cypriot leader to a face-to-face with the Europeans? A setting where, coherently and decisively, the EU could make crystal clear that:
- There’s no possibility of recognising two states in Cyprus
- The Republic of Cyprus is and will remain an EU member state as one single state
- Cyprus has no need of foreign guarantees and troops as an EU member
- The EU has the means and mechanisms to support whatever solution the two sides reach
- Turkey has much to gain in its relations with the EU if the Cyprus thorn is removed
I know—some are already clutching their pearls. They’ll start saying “we’ll be recognising the pseudo-state if we invite Erhürman”. Just as we’d supposedly recognise it if Greek Cypriots crossed into the occupied areas with passports. Remember that?
The EU presidency can become the alibi for inertia. But it could also transform into the catalyst for historic developments. It all depends, though, on where each person’s priorities actually lie.
This article was first published on 17.11.2025
