President Christodoulides and Tufan Erhurman meet to discuss Cyprus problem

Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman held a meeting under United Nations auspices in the Nicosia buffer zone on Tuesday, October 13, 2026. The discussions, described by Christodoulides as positive, covered methodology, substance, and confidence-building measures. The leaders addressed the 19 points previously proposed by Christodoulides; the President noted that he received a mix of positive and negative responses, while Erhurman requested more time to study certain aspects.

Moving forward, the leaders agreed to meet again next week to continue their dialogue. They also decided to participate jointly in a bicommunal festival in Pyla on Saturday, October 17, and attend upcoming meetings of the Technical Committees on Youth and Cultural Heritage, as well as the Civil Society Advisory Body. Both parties expressed their anticipation for the upcoming visit of Maria Angela Holguin, the UN Secretary-General's personal envoy, as they work toward the goal of resuming formal peace negotiations.

This meeting is considered a symbolic step to improve the atmosphere after recent tensions. Christodoulides also confirmed he would attend the COP31 climate summit in Antalya, Turkey, next month, emphasizing that the Republic of Cyprus always participates in such international forums despite the lack of official recognition by Turkey.