Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is due to meet Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman, “prime minister” Ünal Üstel and “foreign minister” Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu in the north tomorrow, according to Turkish Cypriot media. The meetings are expected to cover relations between Turkey and the breakaway entity, as well as the Cyprus issue.
Kıbrıs Postası, citing sources at Turkey’s Foreign Ministry, reports that the visit is a “working visit”.
According to the Turkish Cypriot website, Turkey argues both bilaterally and on international platforms that the most realistic solution to the Cyprus issue requires the coexistence of “two states”. It also argues that the international community should recognise the Turkish Cypriots’ “inherent rights”, namely “sovereign equality and equal international status”.
The website further reports that Turkey attributes the failure to resolve the Cyprus issue to the Greek Cypriot side’s refusal to accept these “inherent rights”, as well as to its “misleading refusal” to share political power and economic prosperity with the Turkish Cypriots. It adds that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has called on the international community for the immediate recognition of the “TRNC” in his speeches to the UN General Assembly since 2022.
A history of efforts
According to the report, following the informal trilateral dinner in New York on 15 October 2024 between UN Secretary-General António Guterres and the two leaders, a UN statement confirmed that there was currently no common ground between the sides.
In 2025, following a proposal by Mr Guterres, a process began to identify areas of cooperation that could benefit both sides and to build trust by fostering a culture of cooperation.
In this context, the report recalls that the first informal meeting in an expanded format was held under the auspices of the Secretary-General in Geneva on 17 and 18 March 2025, with the participation of the leaders of the two sides and the foreign ministers of Turkey and Greece. Six thematic areas for cooperation on which the sides could work were identified.
At a second meeting in a similar format, held in New York on 16 and 17 July 2025, developments in those areas of cooperation were reviewed. However, the report says that no progress has been made so far on important issues, such as the opening of new crossing points.
It is also reported that António Guterres made his first visit to the island on 27-29 July. At a press conference following his bilateral and trilateral contacts with the leaders, he said efforts on the cooperation areas should be intensified. After the necessary conditions had been prepared, it was decided to organise a 5+1 meeting, he said, stressing that he did not want a meeting that would produce no results.
It is further recalled that the UN Secretary-General held separate meetings with the two leaders on the sidelines of the High-Level Week of the 81st UN General Assembly.
Intensive efforts
Yeni Düzen, citing information, reports that the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy is making intensive efforts to finalise an agreement on opening four new crossing points in total: two proposed by the Turkish Cypriot side and two by the Greek Cypriot side.
According to the report, Ms Holguín arrived on the island on the evening of last Thursday. She met Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides on Friday and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman on Monday. With attention focused on the trilateral meeting scheduled for Monday, 9 November, she made brief return visits to Mr Christodoulides on Tuesday and Mr Erhürman yesterday.
Speaking to the press after both meetings, Ms Holguín said she had specific questions to put to the leaders and had therefore met them again. According to information obtained by Yeni Düzen, the diplomatic activity is linked to efforts to make progress on Confidence-Building Measures, which are intended to be announced publicly after the trilateral meeting.
The newspaper says it confirmed the information with reliable Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot sources. According to the report, Ms Holguín is working intensively to finalise an agreement that would allow four new crossing points to open, with two proposed by each side.
Three points are already on the agenda: the Athienou-Aglandjia road, proposed by the Greek Cypriot side, and the crossing points at Mia Milia and Louroujina, proposed by the Turkish Cypriot side. The fourth concerns a new crossing point in the Lefka area, near Kampos tis Tsakistras, as an alternative to Kokkina. According to the newspaper, the point is reportedly included in President Christodoulides’ package of 19 proposals.
Another report says both sides view the four points positively. However, Yeni Düzen says it is not yet possible to speak of a full agreement and that the period leading up to Monday’s trilateral meeting is particularly important.
Ms Holguín’s visit on Tuesday to the Turkish “ambassador” in the north is also thought to fit into the same context, in order to receive a message conveyed to her by Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Mehmet Kemal Bozay.
Source: CNA
