Erhürman: Isolating Turkish Cypriots Undermines Efforts for a Solution

Erhürman said removing or easing the isolation of Turkish Cypriots would not harm efforts toward a settlement, but would instead contribute to improving relations between the two communities.

In a statement on social media, Erhürman said confidence-building measures had been a long-established concept in the history of negotiations on the Cyprus problem.

He said Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots faced trust issues stemming from historical events and experiences, making measures aimed at building or strengthening trust particularly important.

“Activities That Undermine Trust Should Also Be Avoided”

Erhürman said confidence-building measures also implied that activities that could reduce or undermine existing trust should be avoided as far as possible.

He noted that Turkish Cypriots had long called for an end to their isolation and that the international community and international organisations had repeatedly described such a step as legitimate, particularly since 2004.

However, Erhürman said the Greek Cypriot diplomacy had been pursuing a campaign based on the argument that lifting or easing the isolation of Turkish Cypriots would reduce their desire for a settlement.

He said the Greek Cypriot side also argued that introducing new confidence-building measures would make the status quo more comfortable and therefore make a settlement more difficult.

“Making Turkish Cypriots Invisible Harms the Settlement Efforts”

Erhürman said attempts to prevent the Turkish Cypriot negotiator from meeting ambassadors, the cancellation of an arts event planned in Kyrenia, and difficulties faced by Turkish Cypriot athletes, folk dance groups and others seeking to participate in international events were being justified, among other arguments, on these grounds.

“Let us say it once again, without prolonging the matter, so that everyone hears and knows: reluctance to implement confidence-building measures, preventing the lifting or even easing of isolation, and attempts to make Turkish Cypriots invisible do not, contrary to the claims, benefit efforts for a settlement. They harm them,” Erhürman said.

He added that such steps did not improve relations between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots but instead damaged them.

Erhürman said the United Nations’ recent emphasis on confidence-building measures also demonstrated that it essentially shared this view.

“A Settlement Requires Acceptance of Equal Rights”

Erhürman said seeking a settlement was not simply a matter of saying “I want a solution.”

“The way to seek a settlement is to accept that Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots are equal and have equal rights, and to open avenues that will improve their relations and enable them to develop greater trust in each other,” he said.

He said the inconsistency between words and actions meant that the issue had to be explained to the international community more frequently, more effectively and continuously.

“Because the Turkish Cypriot people have the will for a settlement,” Erhürman said. “But having the will for a settlement does not mean that they will accept efforts to isolate their children from the world.”