Erhürman: UN Proposals Include Mixed Marriages and Sports for First Time

Speaking to Özgür Gazete Web TV, President Tufan Erhürman stressed that they were focusing on the seven-point proposal put forward by UN Secretary-General António Guterres during his visit to the island.

“It is important to me that, for the first time, the UN proposals include EU citizenship for children born to mixed marriages and sports,” Erhürman said, underlining that the violation of these rights could not be treated as a matter of give and take.

“IT IS IMPORTANT THAT MS HOLGUÍN IS OPTIMISTIC”

Noting that he had completed his first year in office, Erhürman said he divided the duties of the presidency into three areas: domestic issues, the Cyprus problem, and efforts to connect the Turkish Cypriot people with the rest of the world.

Referring to the elections scheduled for December 6, Erhürman said: “I hope the elections will take place in a democratic environment.” He noted that holding several elections simultaneously also brought certain concerns.

“I know that the Supreme Election Board is making good preparations. I hope we get through the process without any problems,” he said.

Responding to questions about the Cyprus problem, Erhürman said: “It is important that Ms Holguín is optimistic. We are holding talks with Christodoulides. Ms Holguín has undertaken a bridge-building role. Her statement that she is optimistic shows that she believes she can build those bridges.”

“I SAID WE SHOULD SEND THE COMMUNITIES THE MESSAGE THAT WE CAN TALK”

Recalling the seven proposals put forward by UN Secretary-General António Guterres during his visit to the island, Erhürman said they were also focusing on those points.

“Mr Christodoulides brought forward what he called 19 points. These 19 points were never put in writing. Mr Christodoulides conveyed them verbally to me and Mr Guterres in New York,” Erhürman said.

He noted that he had listened to and taken notes on the 19 proposals but had been unable to reach a total of 19 items.

Speaking about the proposals, Erhürman said: “For example, one of them was to visit Pyla together. Three of them involved visits to the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage and the Technical Committee on Youth. Four of those proposals have actually been implemented. In my view, these are not confidence-building measures. We already visit the committees whenever requested. I made this proposal a year ago. I suggested that we have a coffee or a meal somewhere in the north or the south. I said we should send the communities the message that we can talk. I made this proposal from the very first days. His response was that he would not do such a thing before negotiations began. He cited the example of Anastasiades and Akıncı, who did so after negotiations had started.”

“THERE ARE SEVEN PROPOSALS ON THE TABLE”

Reminding that UN Secretary-General António Guterres had very little time left in office, Erhürman stressed that seven points remained on the table and that Guterres had also outlined them during his visit to the island.

Underlining that Guterres had presented the seven points as “UN proposals”, Erhürman said: “It is important to me that, for the first time, the UN proposals include EU citizenship for children born to mixed marriages and sports. Because what I have been saying has now become the UN’s position.”

Erhürman also pointed out that, over the past year, the issue of EU citizenship for children born to mixed marriages had been included in UN human rights reports.

“It has also been included in the EU’s human rights reports in terms of discrimination. We constantly provide data,” he said.

“This is not a confidence-building measure or a favour. It is already a human right,” Erhürman said, stressing that granting human rights to children born to mixed marriages could not be a subject of give and take.

Commenting on the proposal for children under the age of 15 to play football matches together, Erhürman said: “Let the children play matches and get to know one another. If two teams play a match, does that mean the TRNC will be recognised? Where in the world does such a perception exist? This proposal was also rejected.”

“I APPROACH THE PROCESS WITH A FOCUS ON A SOLUTION”

Erhürman said: “If, with so little time left before António Guterres leaves office and seven points still on the table, you bring forward 19 points that you have not raised for 11 months, then you are trying to make people forget the seven points.”

He noted that the 19 points also included issues such as Varosha and Famagusta Port, which had been discussed for 20 years without reaching a conclusion.

“If you expect solutions to be produced on these issues within two and a half months, it is quite clear that this is unrealistic. The Greek Cypriot press sees this and writes about it openly,” Erhürman said.

Underlining that he approached the process with a focus on finding a solution, Erhürman said: “I am not doing this to take photographs, to accuse my interlocutor or to score a point and get ahead.”

“Wanting a solution does not mean wanting more meetings or negotiations for their own sake. Wanting a solution means genuinely producing concrete solutions,” he said.

Erhürman recalled that they had held 15 meetings over the past 12 months and that the UN Secretary-General had visited Cyprus for the first time in 16 years.

Stating that there was no problem regarding the frequency or number of meetings, Erhürman stressed that he had never engaged in a blame game.

“MY DUTY IS NOT TO SPOIL WHAT IS ALREADY COOKED”

Stating that he had found the maps left over from the New York talks on his desk when he took office, Erhürman provided an update on the situation regarding crossing points.

Noting that the Luricina-Akıncılar, Kiracıköy, Haspolat and Eylence crossing points were on the table, Erhürman said: “There are two maps, one marked in blue and the other in red. Akıncılar and Haspolat are marked in red, while the other two are marked in blue. Erenköy is not on that map.

“From the day I took office, I have said that if I had been in Mr Ersin Tatar’s position, I am not sure whether I would have chosen Haspolat as the second vehicle crossing point in New York at the time. Perhaps I would have chosen Kaymaklı or the Famagusta crossing point. But my duty now is not to spoil what is already cooked; it is to discuss this. I am not putting forward any new crossing point proposals. Let us resolve this first. Afterwards, the more crossing points we can open and the more people from both communities can meet, the better.”

Stating that both the Haspolat and Akıncılar crossing points would be used by both communities, Erhürman said:

“The other two would simply make it easier for Greek Cypriots coming from Larnaca to reach Nicosia. They do not mean much to Turkish Cypriots. Why should I oppose something just because it makes life easier for Greek Cypriots? Haspolat and Akıncılar are two crossing points that will serve both communities.

“The other two crossing points will be useful to Greek Cypriots, but I have no problem with that.”

“FAMAGUSTA PORT IS NOT A BANNED PORT; IT IS A LEGAL PORT”

Questioning how issues such as Varosha and Famagusta Port, which had been under discussion for 25 years, could be resolved within two and a half months, Erhürman said:

“I found the meeting notes in the archives from a meeting former President Talat held with the Ambassador of Finland when Finland held the EU Council Presidency. Mr Talat was saying exactly the same thing.

“Famagusta Port is not a banned port; it is a legal port. Ships from other countries can dock there. Our problem is that we cannot trade directly with the EU. That problem stems from the failure to implement the Direct Trade Regulation, which was one of the three regulations promised to us during the Annan Plan period.

“When Christodoulides makes this proposal, I ask him: Are you talking about the implementation of the Direct Trade Regulation? He says no, that you will hand over the administration to the EU and direct trade will happen automatically because the EU will be there.

“Are you going to ask me for something in return for the implementation of something that was promised to me? This is exactly what Mr Talat told the Finnish EU Council Presidency at the time in 2005.”

President Tufan Erhürman said: “What is interesting is that this proposal was not raised for 12 months, but it has now been brought to the table just two months before Guterres leaves office, while seven confidence-building proposals are already on the table.”

“WE ARE READY TO DISCUSS EVERYTHING”

Underlining that life also continued outside the negotiating table, Erhürman stressed that while he wanted a solution at the table, he also wanted to advance the future of his own people.

“That is why, while working for a solution at the negotiating table, I wrote letters to the EU and the UN when festivals and the Barcelona football camp were cancelled. They replied, saying that they did not consider these developments appropriate,” Erhürman said, adding that there were very few things they had rejected.

President Tufan Erhürman said: “We are ready to discuss everything. For example, I said I would not discuss Erenköy. The reason is that there are four locations on the map brought back from New York. I am not introducing anything new; I said let us resolve these first, and then we can discuss whatever else we bring forward.”

Also stressing that full consultations were being maintained with Ankara, Erhürman said there were no problems in the dialogue. He recalled that no president had ever conducted negotiations without consulting the Republic of Turkey.

President Tufan Erhürman underlined that he wanted negotiations aimed at achieving a solution this time, rather than negotiations for their own sake.