Greek Cypriot Media Say Pre-Meeting Statements ‘Overshadow’ Feb. 24 Talks

According to Haravgi, statements made by Hristodulidis and Erhürman’s written response created tension in the lead-up to the meeting. The newspaper said the two leaders exchanged messages through public remarks ahead of the talks.

Hristodulidis told journalists that the meeting was scheduled as planned for February 24 and that, despite comments he had heard or read, he remained focused on his objective. He said he was aware of what he wanted and would attend the meeting with the expectation of creating conditions for the resumption of negotiations through sincere dialogue.

He also argued that the Greek Cypriot side’s presidency of the European Union Council and the upcoming parliamentary elections would not affect these efforts. In response to another question, Hristodulidis said that some progress had been made on confidence-building measures.

The newspaper summarized Erhürman’s response by quoting his statement that he would not engage in a blame game and that attempts to test his patience and composure had failed. It said Erhürman would approach the meeting with seriousness and responsibility, stressing that his position was based on the will of his people for a solution and that the talks were expected to involve mutual questions and answers in a constructive manner.