Christodoulides ties Turkey-EU progress to Cyprus settlement

President Nikos Christodoulides has said that any future progress in relations between Turkey and the European Union must be linked to tangible developments on the Cyprus issue, arguing that European incentives remain the only effective means of encouraging movement towards a settlement. In an interview with Kathimerini, Christodoulides said his government had pursued a deliberate strategy aimed at connecting the Cyprus problem with Ankara’s relationship with the EU. He expressed what he described as “cautious optimism” regarding ongoing efforts to restart substantive negotiations, while stressing that existing convergences achieved during previous rounds of talks should form the basis of any future process. “I have said many times that Turkey is not going to proceed with the resolution of the Cyprus issue unless it feels that it will benefit from this solution,” he said. “The only factor that can offer such benefits to Turkey is the European Union.” He pointed to issues including visa liberalisation, the modernisation of the EU-Turkey customs union and wider cooperation with Brussels as matters of significant importance to Ankara. According to the president, Cyprus has worked to ensure that the relationship between Euro-Turkish affairs and the Cyprus problem is reflected in European Council conclusions and EU policy. Referring to European Council decisions adopted in 2024, Christodoulides said any advancement in relations with Ankara would follow a “gradual, proportionate and reversible” approach. “Turkey is not going to get something without compensation,” he said. “For any concession to be made to Ankara, tangible progress on the Cyprus issue must precede it.” The president declined to provide details regarding discussions with UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres concerning the next phase of the process, citing the sensitivity of ongoing efforts. However, he said the key to future negotiations lies in preserving the convergences already achieved between the two sides. “The key to this effort is the convergences that have been achieved on the Cyprus issue,” he said, adding that these convergences represent “the common approach”. Christodoulides rejected suggestions that a future negotiating framework could rely on what has previously been described as ‘constructive ambiguity’. He said ambiguity on fundamental issues would be unacceptable and warned that similar approaches had created difficulties in past efforts. He cited security and guarantees as examples of areas where clear decisions would be required, arguing that there could be no middle ground on questions concerning Turkey’s guarantor role. The president also sought to manage expectations regarding any eventual agreement, saying a settlement would inevitably involve compromise and could not fully restore conditions that existed before 1974. “The solution to the Cyprus problem will not be completely fair because a solution to be completely fair would have to restore the state of things as they were before 1974,” he said. “What matters is whether the solution we end up with is workable and sustainable.” He argued that functionality and long-term stability should remain the two principal criteria by which any settlement is judged. Asked whether a comprehensive agreement could be achieved before the end of the year, Christodoulides said such an outcome remained possible if sufficient political will existed among all parties involved. “If there is political will, this goal is in complete touch with reality,” he said. Even if a final settlement is not reached, he added, the objective should be to establish an irreversible political process directed towards a solution. The president also addressed foreign policy developments, heralding Cyprus’ growing international engagement with countries including India, Kazakhstan and the United Arab Emirates. He said recent diplomatic initiatives had demonstrated that Cyprus is increasingly viewed as a stable and reliable partner internationally. Commenting on relations with France, Christodoulides described the recently signed Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) as a significant step in expanding bilateral cooperation in defence and security. “The agreement sets the necessary institutional framework for hosting French forces in Cyprus humanitarian reasons,” he said. He added that Cyprus and France were jointly contributing to the wider European objective of strengthening the EU’s strategic autonomy. On energy policy, the President reiterated support for the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI) electricity project linking Cyprus and Greece, describing it as “a strategic necessity and a key pillar of our energy policy”. He said updated technical and economic studies were being carried out in consultation with the Greek government while discussions continued with regional partners and potential investors. Despite alternative interconnection options being examined, he said linking Cyprus to the European energy network remained the government’s primary objective. Christodoulides also said the government expected the first revenues from natural gas development to begin towards the end of 2027 or during 2028, citing progress in negotiations with Egypt and energy companies operating in Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Turning to domestic affairs, he defended the government’s economic record, pointing to strong growth, reduced unemployment and improved international credit ratings. At the same time, he acknowledged concerns over living costs, housing affordability and income inequality, arguing that economic success must increasingly benefit middle-income and lower-income households. “The success of a country is measured by the strength of its middle class,” he said. The President maintained that measures including tax reform, pension reform and housing initiatives were intended to address those concerns while supporting long-term economic stability. On the political front, Christodoulides dismissed suggestions that recent parliamentary election results had weakened his position. He said cooperation with parties supporting government policies remained constructive and reiterated that decisions regarding the presidential election in 2028 had not yet been taken. “I haven’t made any final decisions,” he said. “I’ll be preoccupied with 2027.”