Erhürman: We want talks that deliver a solution

Speaking to Özgür Gazete Web TV, Erhürman said his focus remained on the seven proposals put forward by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres during his visit to Cyprus.

He welcomed the inclusion of EU citizenship for children born to mixed marriages and sporting contacts among the UN’s proposals.

“This is not a confidence-building measure or a favour. It is a human right,” he said of the citizenship issue, arguing that it should not be subject to bargaining.

Erhürman also said a proposal for football matches between children under 15 from the two communities had been rejected.

“Let children play matches and get to know each other. Would the TRNC be recognised because two teams played football?” he asked.

The President welcomed the optimism expressed by UN envoy María Angela Holguín Cuéllar, saying it suggested she believed she could help bridge differences between the two sides.

However, he questioned Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides’s decision to raise what he described as 19 proposals while the UN’s seven points remained unresolved.

Erhürman said the proposals had been presented verbally in New York and had never been provided as a written list. Some involved visits to technical committees, which he did not regard as confidence-building measures.

Others concerned longstanding issues such as Maraş and Famagusta port, which he said could not realistically be resolved in the short time remaining before Guterres leaves office.

“I am not doing this to pose for photographs, blame my counterpart or score points,” he said. “Wanting a solution means producing concrete results.”

On crossing points, Erhürman said discussions remained focused on the four locations inherited from the previous administration: Haspolat, Akıncılar, Kiracıköy and Eylence.

Although he might have chosen different locations himself, he said his priority was to conclude the existing discussions before putting forward further proposals.

He said Haspolat and Akıncılar would serve both communities, while the other two routes would mainly benefit Greek Cypriots travelling towards Lefkoşa from Larnaca.

“Why should I oppose something because it makes Greek Cypriots’ lives easier?” he asked.

Erhürman also questioned proposals to place Famagusta port under EU administration, saying the central issue was Turkish Cypriots’ inability to trade directly with the EU. He argued that the promised Direct Trade Regulation should be implemented without demanding concessions in return.

Stressing that dialogue with Türkiye was continuing without difficulty, he said: “We do not want negotiations simply so that negotiations take place. This time, we want negotiations that deliver a solution.”