Erhürman Reacts To Christodoulides’ Invitation To Erdoğan: Turkish Cypriot People Cannot Be Ignored

Erhürman stressed that the Turkish Cypriot people, one of the island’s two equal founding partners, cannot be sidelined in any process concerning Cyprus.

In a written statement, Erhürman said Christodoulides had declared his readiness to meet President Erdoğan to discuss the Cyprus problem and had publicly issued an invitation to that effect.

Speaking on behalf of the Turkish Cypriot people, Erhürman underlined that approaches which seek to bypass the Turkish Cypriot side — an equal interlocutor under the United Nations framework — do not contribute to creating an atmosphere conducive to a settlement on the island.

“On the contrary,” Erhürman said, “such approaches undermine mutual trust.”

He emphasised that the Turkish Cypriot people exist as one of the two equal founding partners on the island and that any attempt to ignore or marginalise them through statements or agreements would not be accepted.

“We will not consent to the Turkish Cypriot people being treated as though they do not exist,” Erhürman said.