Erhürman: Political equality is not a bargaining chip

In an interview with Politis journalist Andreas Paraschos, reported by Anka news agency, Erhürman also firmly rejected claims that he had changed his position on a Varosha proposal following intervention by Ankara.

“Nothing can be further from the truth,” he said.

Erhürman said Christodoulides had raised various issues during their latest meeting, but no written 19-point document had reached him, directly or indirectly. He declined to disclose their private discussions, citing diplomatic courtesy.

“We are not in a contest whereby the one who puts forward the greatest number of proposals wins,” he said, urging both sides to concentrate on securing practical results from confidence-building measures already on the table.

The President also disputed suggestions that Christodoulides had accepted three elements of his four-point methodology for restarting negotiations, saying the Greek Cypriot side had yet to accommodate any of them.

He clarified that his approach centred on political equality, including a rotating presidency and effective participation in decision-making. Acceptance of the rotating presidency in principle was necessary before substantive talks, although its detailed arrangements could be negotiated later.

Political equality could not be exchanged for concessions on security and guarantees, he stressed, describing the latter as a separate substantive negotiating issue.

On crossings, Erhürman said shifting Greek Cypriot demands had prevented agreement despite several Turkish Cypriot proposals. These included a new road in the north, financed by the Turkish Cypriot side, with property claims addressed through the Immovable Property Commission.

He said he had subsequently proposed an alternative road in the south and obtained assurances that the European Union would be willing to finance it, suggesting a joint funding application by the two leaders. That proposal had also been rejected, he said.

Erhürman questioned whether leaders who had failed to open a single new crossing in 11 months could resolve far more sensitive issues within the remaining two and a half months.

He nevertheless reaffirmed his readiness to work intensively with Christodoulides, saying progress on crossings would bring immediate benefits to both communities.