Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman announced on Wednesday that attempts to agree on new confidence-building measures with Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides have not succeeded. The leaders met for an hour in the UN-controlled buffer zone to discuss strategies to advance the stalled Cyprus peace negotiations but did not reach a consensus on new initiatives.
Erhürman highlighted that the focus of their discussion was primarily on confidence-building measures and how to progress with the negotiation process. Despite their efforts, both sides were unable to agree on new actions and instead exchanged views on various internal and external factors that are eroding the trust that had been previously established between the two communities.
He emphasized the importance of creating a conducive environment for progress, as encouraged by UN Secretary-General António Guterres. According to Erhürman, this would involve both parties introducing fresh confidence-building measures and refraining from actions that could further damage the fragile mutual trust. Additionally, he revealed that Maria Angela Holguin, the UN secretary-general’s personal envoy on Cyprus, would not be visiting the island before the UN General Assembly due to illness.
The peace process in Cyprus has encountered numerous challenges, notably the breakdown of reunification talks in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, in 2017. The Turkish Cypriot leadership continues to advocate for a two-state solution based on sovereign equality, contrasting with previous negotiations that focused on a federal model.
Looking ahead, the two leaders are scheduled to reconvene in the UN buffer zone on September 17. However, the upcoming meeting is expected to proceed without the participation of Holguin due to her health issues.