**Erhurman: Conditions Not Yet Met for Expanded Meeting on Cyprus Issue**
Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman stated on Thursday that the necessary conditions for a new 5+1 meeting regarding the Cyprus problem have not yet been established. His comments followed discussions with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, which Erhurman described as an improvement over their previous encounter.
During a press briefing, Erhurman confirmed that there are currently no plans for a trilateral meeting or a 5+1 session to take place alongside the upcoming United Nations General Assembly. He referenced UN Secretary-General António Guterres's remarks from Wednesday, which emphasized the ongoing challenges in the negotiations, stating, “there is still a lot of work to be done” and that “we cannot repeat the mistakes of the past.” Erhurman underscored the importance of ensuring that any expanded meeting is results-oriented rather than merely symbolic.
Erhurman reiterated his position that tangible progress must occur at the Cypriot level before any new 5+1 meeting can be considered. He highlighted that the discussions between the two leaders had focused on a memorandum of understanding, which he identified as central to resolving the Cyprus issue. President Christodoulides presented new ideas during their talks, to which Erhurman responded with his own perspectives.
The Turkish Cypriot leader emphasized that any memorandum must avoid actions that could undermine trust between the communities. He pointed to several recent incidents that he believes have strained relations, including the cancellation of two music festivals, a Barcelona football academy event, and the Republic’s foreign ministry's reaction to Turkish Cypriot representative Mehmet Dana's meetings with foreign ambassadors in the buffer zone. Additionally, he mentioned decisions made by the European Parliament that he feels have affected the dynamics of the discussions.
Erhurman noted that the Turkish Cypriot side has now agreed to six out of seven points raised by Guterres during his visit to Cyprus in July. These points include proposals for new crossing points, demining initiatives, joint mechanisms for addressing natural disasters and irregular migration, sports cooperation, EU citizenship for children of mixed marriages, and the establishment of a civil society mechanism. The only outstanding issue remains the discussion surrounding new crossing points.
He remarked that some Greek Cypriot entities have described the citizenship issue as a “humanitarian issue,” which he considered a positive development, although he maintained that it should be viewed as a human rights matter. Erhurman expressed concern that there is still no agreement on confidence-building measures or the methodology for moving forward, stating, “not even on the first point of the four that we had raised.”
Despite the lack of concrete outcomes, Erhurman affirmed that the search for solutions would persist. He stated, “For us, ‘no solution is a solution’ is not an approach,” indicating a commitment to continue dialogue.
When asked about the rationale for the ongoing meetings between the two leaders despite the absence of significant progress, Erhurman simply replied, “we meet to achieve a result.” He characterized the sessions as ‘conversations’ rather than formal negotiations, suggesting a more informal approach to the discussions.
Looking ahead, Erhurman expressed hope that the upcoming meetings in New York, scheduled for next Wednesday, would lead to the development of a “roadmap for the process that will proceed.” His comments reflect a cautious optimism as both sides continue to navigate the complexities of the Cyprus issue.
As the situation evolves, the international community remains attentive to the developments in the Cyprus negotiations, with many looking for signs of progress that could pave the way for a lasting resolution to the long-standing conflict.