Nicosia: President of the Republic of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides has expressed his readiness to discuss both the substance of the Cyprus problem and confidence-building measures during his upcoming meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman. The meeting, scheduled for Monday, aims to address longstanding issues and explore potential avenues for collaboration between the two sides.
According to Cyprus News Agency, President Christodoulides emphasized the importance of addressing the opening of a crossing point at Kokkina, a proposal put forward by the Greek Cypriot side. Speaking during a visit to Pyrgos Tillyrias, he confirmed that the crossing point issue is a key topic on the agenda. The proposed crossing point, covering an area of approximately 4.6 kilometers, is seen as a significant step towards improving the daily lives of residents in the region.
President Christodoulides highlighted that the proposal is part of a broader framework of confidence-building measures designed to benefit citizens. He acknowledged that while there has been no positive response from the Turkish side thus far, he remains committed to discussing these measures alongside more substantive issues during the meeting. The President reiterated his primary focus on resolving core issues related to the Cyprus problem, while also expressing readiness to engage in discussions on confidence-building initiatives.
Cyprus has remained divided since 1974, following Turkey's invasion and subsequent occupation of its northern third. Despite numerous UN-led peace talks, a lasting resolution has yet to be achieved. Building on previous discussions with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and proposals by President Christodoulides, parties meeting in Geneva last March agreed to open four new crossing points in Cyprus. Ongoing discussions continued during a broader meeting in New York on July 16-17, with the UN Secretary-General noting significant progress. However, decisions remain pending, as routes proposed by the Greek Cypriot side, including one from Athienou village to Aglantzia and another crossing point at the Kokkina exclave, still require the consent of the Turkish army.