Republican Turkish Party (CTP) leader Tufan Erhürman made statements regarding the Cyprus issue on a program on BRT.

Stressing that the Cyprus issue had always been an international matter and never merely an inter-communal dispute, Erhürman noted that expecting the informal 5+1 meeting on March 17-18 to focus solely on the Cyprus issue would not be very realistic.

Highlighting that while the Cyprus issue is discussed at the table, maritime jurisdiction areas, regional peace, and stability would also be on the agenda, Erhürman stated, “As the Turkish Cypriot people, we must also present our own vision at the table.”

“We are a key actor in this process, and we believe that the solutions formulated here should contribute to peace, stability, and a resolution both in Cyprus and the broader region” he added.

Stressing that if the Greek Cypriot Administration continued to pursue projects at the negotiation table that completely exclude Türkiye and the Turkish Cypriots, it would mean that their vision was not one of resolution, peace, or stability in the region, Erhürman pointed out that the Cyprus issue had now reached a decisive point for regional peace and stability.

When asked whether border crossings would be discussed at the table, Erhürman responded that debating the opening of two border crossings would be shameful.

He stressed that turning the 5+1 meeting into a form of “border diplomacy” was not a position to be proud of.