President Christodoulides discusses Famagusta proposal with town council

President Nikos Christodoulides met with the Famagusta municipal council on October 26 to discuss his proposal regarding the fenced-off area of Varosha. The initiative, part of a broader package of 19 confidence-building measures, proposes transferring the area to United Nations administration in exchange for opening the port of Famagusta under European Union control. Christodoulides clarified that this plan is an evolution of a 2005 proposal, noting that while it faced initial rejection from Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman, it remains on the table for further enrichment and discussion.

Government spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis confirmed that the 19 measures also include proposals for new crossing points. Officials emphasized that the goal is to shift the dialogue toward finding ways to implement these measures to build trust and facilitate a resumption of Cyprus settlement negotiations. The Famagusta council expressed full support, pledging to work on refining the proposal. President Christodoulides is scheduled to meet with Tufan Erhurman on October 27, in the presence of UN Secretary-General’s personal envoy Maria Angela Holguin, to continue these discussions.