Redux
Every journey circles home
Once again, Cyprus’ leaders seem determined to play with time. The trilateral meeting between Nikos Christodoulides, Tufan Erhürman and UN Envoy María Ángela Holguín produced tentative proposals and baby steps, but no breakthroughs, which no one expected any way. Holguín herself stressed that while some minor advances were noted, further concrete results are essential before the process can move forward.
The cost of this “game” can be seen even in tragic ways. During the noon news, one story recounted the alleged abuse of a baby and the father’s arrest. The anchor repeatedly returned to the live coverage of the Cyprus process, throwing once again everyday life to political maneuvering. So, by “playing with time”, the leaders consume not just time but real energy, of journalists, voters and the public. When children play, parents are patient, the older the children grow, the less patience remains. You expect children to grow up, act with reason. In Cyprus, patience is running thin. The leaders delay not just a political settlement, but Cyprus’ future.
Behind Christodoulides’ words, “I am not disappointed”, lies a tactic of prolonging the process under the guise of readiness. By emphasising the preparation of convergences from Crans Montana, the sequencing of internal and external points, and the management of crossing points. Christodoulides ensures that he signals engagement, but not enough to force a substantive outcome. The repeated promise that “when there is something concrete, you will hear it first” is the classic stalling rhetoric.
On the other hand, and side, the Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman’s delays expected in a way but still equally not acceptable. He is awaiting the go-ahead from Ankara, or at least this is always the interpretation of the GC side. However, his lack of courage also feeds into the same cycle of postponement, keeping substance out of reach. Both leaders, each for their own reasons, manipulate schedules, and appearances.
And the leaders get away with it because most people are tired, or comfortable, it is true that the Cyprus issue is not a top priority. But there are those still watching, GC refugees, the invisible Turkish Cypriots, relatives of victims of the missing, whose agony and pain never left or even grows. If the leaders cannot see them, the hope is that the international community is watching closely and that Holguín, with the backing of Secretary-General Guterres and other decisive players, will not allow herself to be played in the leaders’ endless game of hide-and-seek.