Tufan Erhürman, the leader of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) held a meeting on Thursday with representatives from civil society and trade unions to discuss his recent activities in New York and the ongoing Cyprus issue.
During the meeting, Erhürman highlighted that his visit to New York was to attend the Socialist International’s discussions themed “Architecture of Peace Processes.”
The CTP leader reiterated his party’s position that any resolution for Cyprus must adhere to a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation based on political equality as specified by UN Security Council resolutions.
Erhürman stressed the importance of reviewing past negotiations within this framework to understand why they did not succeed and to establish a better methodology for future talks.
“We are not looking for negotiations just for the sake of it; we want negotiations that will produce results,” Erhürman emphasized, noting the critical importance of preparatory measures before initiating formal discussions.
He outlined a four-point plan to ensure progress in future talks.
The first step, he asserted, is to secure political equality and a rotating presidency before any negotiations begin, with these principles not being subject to bargaining.
The second point calls for a time limit on any negotiations if multiple tables are established.
Third, he emphasized that negotiations should focus on achieving concrete outcomes, suggesting that talks should resume from the point where the Crans-Montana discussions ended in 2017, rather than starting over.
Lastly, Erhürman proposed that the UN should set terms in advance, specifying that if negotiations fail due to obstruction from the Greek Cypriot side, there should be no return to the previous status quo.
Erhürman clarified that these four principles are not conditions set by CTP but reflect commitments previously made by the UN.
He clarified that these principles reflect commitments made by the UN, not conditions set by the CTP. Erhürman communicated to his counterparts in New York that failing to uphold these commitments could result in negotiations that do not achieve meaningful conclusions, which would be unacceptable for the Turkish Cypriot community.
He also highlighted the geopolitical significance of the Cyprus issue and warned that excluding Türkiye from energy projects on political grounds could undermine regional peace and stability.
Erhürman advocated for a bi-communal approach to energy partnerships among Greece, Cyprus, and Türkiye, viewing this as a vital step towards lasting peace.
Additionally, he described the recent informal dinner in New York between the UN Secretary-General and Cypriot leaders as a positive development for ongoing dialogue, noting the importance of the newly established communication channel between Türkiye and Greece.
Despite perceptions of stagnation in the Cyprus issue, he remarked that back-channel diplomacy has been accelerating in recent months.