Erhürman: A Solution is a Common Necessity for Both Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots

Speaking on BRT, Erhürman assessed the recent talks in Geneva, criticizing the past four years as "wasted time." He remarked, "Four and a half years have been lost, and after all this time, what has been gained is minimal."

"Confidence-Building Measures Have Been Discussed for Years"

Commenting on the discussions in Geneva, Erhürman pointed to the "Confidence-Building Measures" agreed upon, stating, "These are issues that have been discussed for years. If a meeting could have taken place in Cyprus, these matters could have been resolved here as well."

Noting that four years have passed since 2021 without any real dialogue, Erhürman found it significant that discussions were initiated in the presence of the UN Secretary-General and that the decision was made to continue the dialogue.

He stressed that the issues debated could have been resolved within Cyprus and added, "There is no real cooperation in place, and no such decision has been made. These six points discussed are merely confidence-building measures. When nine crossing points were opened, was there a state-to-state cooperation involved?"

"The UN’s Motivation is to Sustain Dialogue"

Highlighting the importance of the UN Secretary-General’s motivation, Erhürman recalled that Crans-Montana was Guterres’ first experience with Cyprus negotiations, which ended in failure. "His term ends in 2026. There is movement in the region: developments in Syria, South Cyprus’ agreements with the US, and the use of the Paphos Air Base. The UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions clearly state that 'the status quo in Cyprus is not sustainable.' The UN is the key actor in this issue, and its sole motivation is to initiate and maintain dialogue," he said.

Regarding the Geneva talks, Erhürman commented, "The Secretary-General built a bridge linking the past to the future. This process took place to convey that the Cyprus issue is not a concluded or frozen matter."

Before departing for the talks, Erhürman had already stated that no major outcome should be expected. "I said that there would be no resolution or official start to negotiations, but the continuation of a dialogue that contributes to a solution-friendly climate might be possible. If any outcome emerged, it would be in the form of confidence-building measures," he reiterated.

Emphasizing the stark differences between the positions of both sides, Erhürman noted that everyone was aware of this reality.