President Nikos Christodoulides has expressed confidence that progress towards a Cyprus solution is possible in cooperation with Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman, stating that both leaders share a desire to reach a solution.
In an interview with Turkish Cypriot newspaper Yeni Düzen, his first interview with a Turkish Cypriot media outlet in three years, Christodoulides reiterated that reunification remains the only acceptable outcome for the Greek Cypriot side and rejected alternatives based on a two-state model.
Confidence in renewed negotiations
Christodoulides said he believes he and Erhürman could make significant progress if the outcome depended solely on the two of them.
"If everything were in Mr Erhürman's hands and mine, we could reach a solution by next week. But the decision does not depend only on us. I believe that Mr Erhürman genuinely wants a solution," he said.
The President added that all parties would ultimately be tested at the negotiating table and acknowledged that any agreement would require mutual compromises.
Proposal for cross-negotiation method
Christodoulides said he had proposed to Erhürman the method of "cross-negotiation", which he said was used during the Crans-Montana talks.
Under the proposal, the six chapters of the Cyprus negotiations would be examined in pairs, including issues such as territory and property, as well as governance and security guarantees.
He said his experience at Crans-Montana demonstrated that this approach had been successful and could help facilitate progress in future negotiations.
Position on methodology and referendums
The President said the only aspect of Erhürman's proposals with which he disagreed concerned the issue of pre-agreed sanctions.
He also stated that he would only submit a settlement plan to a referendum if he supported it.
"I will not take to a referendum a plan with which I do not agree. I will take a plan with which I agree and, of course, campaign in favour of it," he said.
Importance of previous convergences
Christodoulides referred to comments by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, saying that substantive discussions should take into account the convergences achieved up to the final stages of the Crans-Montana process.
He argued that setting aside those convergences would result in a setback, noting that they had been achieved by all sides within the framework established by the UN process.
The President further stated that, in his view, the main outstanding issue at present concerns confidence-building measures, while noting that UN envoy María Ángela Holguín is preparing a related list of proposals.
Turkey-EU relations and the Cyprus issue
Discussing Turkey's role, Christodoulides said Ankara would move towards resolving the Cyprus issue when it concludes that the benefits of a settlement outweigh those of the current status quo.
He said he is therefore pursuing two parallel objectives: the resumption of negotiations and progress in Turkey-EU relations.
The President added that Cyprus seeks positive relations with all neighbouring countries, including Turkey, and stressed that regional partnerships involving Cyprus are not directed against either Turkey or the Turkish Cypriot community.
Rejection of a two-state solution
Christodoulides firmly rejected any outcome based on partition.
He said he supports confidence-building measures that contribute to efforts for a settlement based on a bizonal, bicommunal federation, but not measures that normalise the existing situation or support the concept of "two good neighbours" living side by side.
According to the President, such an approach would amount to a two-state solution, which he said he would never accept.
Message to Turkish Cypriots
Addressing the Turkish Cypriot community, Christodoulides said that Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots share a common future in a reunited Cyprus within the European Union.
He added that the European Union could help address the concerns of both communities and described the EU's role as essential to the implementation of any future settlement.
The President also conveyed a message of sympathy to the Turkish Cypriot community following the shipwreck incident in Kyrenia.
Source: CNA
