AKEL General Secretary criticizes leadership over Cyprus negotiation deadlock

On November 13, 2026, AKEL General Secretary Stefanos Stefanou addressed an anti-occupation event at the Orfeas checkpoint in Nicosia, marking the upcoming anniversary of the 1983 declaration of the unrecognized Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Stefanou expressed hope that the upcoming tripartite meeting organized by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres would succeed in convening an informal five-party conference to resume formal negotiations on the Cyprus issue.

Stefanou directed sharp criticism toward Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman. He argued that despite a mutual stated interest in resuming talks from the 2017 baseline and preserving past convergences, both leaders failed to demonstrate the necessary political will. According to Stefanou, they remained focused on discussing confidence-building measures rather than achieving substantive progress, ultimately failing to leverage the existing potential to break the long-standing deadlock.

The event served as both a commemoration of historical events and a platform for political critique regarding the current state of stalled diplomatic efforts. Looking ahead, the focus remains on whether the upcoming Guterres-led tripartite meeting can catalyze a shift toward formal negotiations, a prospect that the opposition currently views with skepticism due to the perceived inaction of the involved leaders.