Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman has raised questions about the origin of recent disclosures concerning Varosha, and about their effect on trust between the two sides. In a social media post, he responded to a recent report in Phileleftheros. The report said President Nikos Christodoulides had put a proposal on Varosha to him, which he initially accepted but later rejected on Turkey’s instructions.
Consultation with Turkey
Erhürman said he conducts the entire process in full consultation with Turkey. He stressed, however, that he had not discussed any such proposal on Varosha with anyone in Turkey.
Three questions
Erhürman wrote that if he had answered “yes” or “no” to any proposal, the only person who could know would be Christodoulides, as their meeting was held in private.
“But, as if by magic, a Greek Cypriot journalist ‘found out what I said’! Very interesting, isn’t it?” he wrote.
He then set out three questions:
- When he rejected it. He asked when he had supposedly said “no” and rejected the proposal. He noted that, on the report’s account, he had answered “yes” at his meeting with Christodoulides on 19 September, and the two have not met since.
- Immediate agreement. He asked whether anyone genuinely believes that someone could say “yes” immediately on hearing any proposal on a matter as important and sensitive as Varosha. “Could I, or any negotiator, be so amateurish?” he asked.
- Who needs the leak. He asked who, or which side, needs leaks, distortion and manipulation.
Trust between the two sides
Erhürman said that answering these questions does not require being the smartest person in the world, only a little thought, logic and judgement.
“How far can the ‘other side’ trust someone who resorts to such methods?” he added.
