Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman has challenged reports in the Greek Cypriot press over an alleged proposal on Varosha, questioning both their accuracy and what the leaks mean for trust between the two sides. The reports claimed that President Nikos Christodoulides made him a proposal on Varosha which he initially accepted but later rejected following instructions from Turkey.
The reports and his response
According to reports from the north, Mr Erhürman said President Christodoulides presented him with a 19-point proposal at their last meeting before the two leaders travelled to New York.
He said he conducts the entire process in full consultation with Turkey, but that he did not discuss such a proposal concerning Varosha with anyone in Turkey.
In a post, Mr Erhürman noted that the Greek Cypriot side had neither confirmed nor denied the existence of a proposal on Varosha, and set out three questions about the reports.
First question: who could have known
If he had said “yes” or “no” to any proposal, he wrote, the only other person who could know would be Mr Christodoulides, since their meeting was held privately.
“But, as if by magic, a Greek Cypriot journalist ‘found out’ what I said! Very interesting, isn’t it?” he said.
Second question: when was the proposal rejected
Mr Erhürman then asked when he is supposed to have said “no” and rejected the proposal. Referring to the claim that he had said “yes” at his meeting with President Christodoulides on 19 September, he pointed out that the two leaders have not met since.
Third question: an immediate yes
The third and, in his words, most important question was whether anyone genuinely believes a negotiator would accept on the spot any proposal on an issue as important and sensitive as Varosha.
“Could I or any negotiator be so amateurish? Wouldn’t they at least say, ‘let us examine it’?” he asked.
He added that answering these questions does not require anyone to be the smartest or most educated person in the world, and that a little thought, logic and judgement are enough.
Leaks and trust
Mr Erhürman went on to raise the wider question of the leaks themselves.
“Leaks, distortion, manipulation and the like. Who or which side needs these, and why? I think it is worth giving that some thought. And one final question: in this situation, how much can the ‘other side’ trust someone who resorts to such methods?”
Consultation with Turkey
Mr Erhürman said he is continuing with patience and composure.
“Meanwhile, for those who are wondering, let me repeat this so I don’t forget: as I always say, we conduct the entire process in full consultation with Turkey. But I have not even discussed such a proposal with any official from Turkey,” he concluded.
Source: CNA
