Newly elected leader of the Turkish Cypriots, Tufan Erhürman, stated that “the Republic of Turkey is the guarantor of the entire island, and it will remain that way,” in an interview with Turkey’s Anadolu Agency.
In his first major interview since taking office, Erhürman said that political equality constitutes a “red line” for him and would not be open to negotiation.
“Why should I make this a subject of negotiation so that they can tell me, ‘Alright, I’ll give you this, but in return you must give me that’? From our side, political equality is a vital red line,” he said.
Erhürman argued that the history of the Cyprus talks has shown that every time political equality is questioned, it risks leading the Greek Cypriot leader to withdraw from the table.
“Therefore, before we even sit down - if we are to sit down - political equality is a red line for me,” he added.
Referring to the Crans-Montana talks, Erhürman recalled that UN Secretary-General António Guterres had stressed that any future process must have a clear timetable.
“I want the UN to stand by this. If we sit at the table with a timetable, that’s fine. But if it’s again a case of ‘let’s meet and see for another five or seven years,’ the Turkish Cypriot people can no longer tolerate that,” he said.
Erhürman went on to stress that “the Republic of Turkey is, indeed, the guarantor of the entire island, and it will remain so. Under today’s circumstances, this fact has become even more significant, because it is increasingly difficult to feel secure.”
He referred to the “presence of foreign military forces” in the government-controlled areas of the Republic, namely troops from “Israel, the United States, France, the European Union, and the United Kingdom,” arguing that this “reinforces the need for Turkey’s guarantor presence.”
The Turkish Cypriot leader also said there has been a “worrying increase in foreign military presence” in the government-controlled areas, “mainly from Israel,” adding that this poses security risks not only for Turkish Cypriots but also for Greek Cypriots.
He also said that President Nikos Christodoulides was “trying to bring countries to the island to create a balance against Turkey,” adding that “those who enter a region under the pretext of creating balance never leave.”
“This approach turns the island into an unsafe place. We, the Turkish Cypriots, can feel safer under Turkey’s guarantee,” he said.
Erhürman reiterated that no negotiations will take place without consultation with Turkey, noting that his first “official visit” will be to Turkey, “in line with the tradition of the TRNC state.” He added that relations between the two sides would advance even further. “Improving relations with the Republic of Turkey is something I consider both a personal duty and a mission,” he said.
Erhürman also said that the aim of the Great Sea Interconnector electricity interconnection project was “to exclude Turkey.”
“This is neither economically viable nor logical. As long as such approaches continue, achieving lasting peace and stability in the region will not be easy,” he said.
CNA