Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman outlines conditions for Cyprus negotiations

Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman, speaking on September 29, 2026, following the 81st UN General Assembly, rejected claims that he opposes trilateral meetings regarding the Cyprus issue. He emphasized that the Turkish Cypriot side is ready for negotiations only if they are focused on achieving substantive results rather than being mere photo opportunities. Erhurman proposed intensifying marathon talks in Nicosia first, with trilateral or five-party (5+1) summits to follow only when a solution is near.

Erhurman highlighted that seven Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) proposed by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres are currently on the table. Simultaneously, he expressed concerns regarding actions that erode trust, specifically citing the cancellation of events, restrictions on Turkish Cypriot diplomatic outreach, European Parliament resolutions, and property-related arrests. The Turkish Cypriot side has raised these grievances with UN officials, the Secretary-General’s personal envoy, and EU representatives to address the negative climate surrounding the peace process.