Erhürman: We Will Meet And Exchange Our First Views

In a written statement assessing the one-hour meeting scheduled for Thursday, Erhürman said:

“We are meeting for the first time with Mr Christodoulides in a one-hour meeting on Thursday. Eight years have passed since 2017, and it is certainly not easy to say that these years have contributed to the flourishing of hopes for a solution on the island.

As we enter a new process beginning on Thursday, expectations need to be managed correctly. Regretfully, given the years that have passed on the island and the impact of initiatives and developments in the region, it would be overly optimistic to say that we currently have an atmosphere conducive to a solution. I believe that creating such an atmosphere is a responsibility we bear towards our peoples as leaders.

What will create optimism and an atmosphere for a solution is determination, sincerity, mutual trust, and refraining from engaging in blame games through the media. Of course, there will be statements on developments outside the process, but exercising utmost care in statements directly related to the process is essential for progress, and I will act with this responsibility.

On Thursday, we will meet with Mr Christodoulides and share our views for the first time on many issues on our agenda. Expecting clarity on these matters within an hour — or more importantly, creating such an expectation — would not be correct.

I hope this first meeting takes place in a sincere atmosphere that will establish mutual trust and initiates a process of meetings to continue at regular, not-too-distant intervals.”