Nicosia:Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides reaffirmed the Greek Cypriot side's clear position on the issue of a rotating presidency. This statement was made in response to Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhrman's remarks, suggesting that the President had accepted the principle of a rotating presidency, as informed by the UN Secretary-General's Personal Envoy, María Ángela Holguín.

According to Cyprus News Agency, the President addressed the matter during an event in Nicosia, emphasizing, "Our positions on rotating presidency are clear." He further suggested that questions should be directed to Mr. Erhrman, highlighting the Turkish Cypriot leader's previous statements that the lack of acceptance of a rotating presidency was a barrier to resuming talks.

Commenting on a recent meeting between Turkish Foreign Affairs Minister Hakan Fidan and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas in Brussels, President Christodoulides noted that the Cypriot Government had been briefed on the discussions. He acknowledged that familiar messages were conveyed, adding, "Everything will be judged in practice."

The President also stressed the significance of Holguín's mission, particularly in light of the timeframe of the UN Secretary-General's term, expressing hope for positive outcomes to resume talks. He remarked, "We have to see it in practice, and in practice, at the end of the day, we will all be judged, including, of course, myself."

Regarding the Turkey-Libya memorandum, the President confirmed that he remains in constant contact with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to discuss next steps. He mentioned ongoing discussions at the European level and affirmed that Cyprus is taking necessary actions to protect its sovereign rights based on international law and in collaboration with partners.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, following Turkey's invasion and occupation of its northern third. Despite repeated UN-led peace efforts, talks have not been successful due to Turkish intransigence. The most recent negotiations ended without resolution in July 2017. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has announced plans to convene another meeting after adequate preparation, with María Angela Holguín engaging with the parties involved.