By Murat Gürgen
NICOSIA — Tufan Erhürman, the newly elected president of Northern Cyprus, voiced guarded expectations ahead of his first trilateral meeting on Dec. 11 with Greek Cypriot figure Nikos Christodoulides and UN envoy María Ángela Holguín. Speaking to Turkish journalists, Erhürman said that shifting regional dynamics and a long record of unsuccessful rounds make a rapid return to substantive talks unrealistic — particularly without agreed-upon parameters.
Erhürman, who took office two months ago, dismissed Christodoulides’ call to resume from the point reached at the 2017 Crans-Montana summit. “If that point was so promising, why did they walk away?” he asked, noting that the Greek Cypriot side has yet to address unresolved issues that derailed previous efforts.
Seeking to prevent another open-ended and inconclusive process, Erhürman outlined a four-point methodology aimed at establishing a “conducive climate” for genuine negotiations. The framework requires that political equality not be treated as a bargaining item, sets a fixed timetable for talks, safeguards past convergences and ensures Turkish Cypriots are not pushed back into isolation if the process breaks down again.
“IF ISRAEL STRIKES IRAN, WE HAVE NO PROTECTION”
Erhürman also highlighted growing security risks linked to the south’s deepening military partnerships. He pointed to Israel’s preferential access to the Paphos air base, warning that unilateral decisions by Greek Cypriot authorities heighten vulnerabilities for both communities.
“When Iran said, ‘I will hit not only you but also any bases you use,’ people here began questioning the shelters for the first time since 1974,” he said. “If a missile comes from Iran, will it stop at the Green Line? Of course not.”
He argued that such arrangements — including the exclusive leasing of Paphos Air Base to Israel — reinforce the urgency of ensuring Turkish Cypriots have a voice in decisions that affect the island’s security and maritime boundaries.
Despite heightened mistrust, Erhürman said his proposals reflect lessons drawn from five decades of failed attempts and are designed to prevent Turkish Cypriots from being sidelined once more.
