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The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) presented a 10-point proposal to improve daily coordination and explore avenues for a political solution on the island, following a high-level meeting on Thursday between TRNC President Tufan Erhurman and Southern Cyprus leader Nikos Christodoulides.
The meeting in the United Nations-controlled buffer zone was the first direct engagement between the two leaders and took place at the official residence of the UN Secretary-General’s special representative, with the UN describing the talks as held in a "cordial atmosphere."
Maria Angela Holguin Cuellar, the UN Secretary-General’s personal envoy on Cyprus, joined the initial part of the 90-minute session via video conference, while the final 15 minutes were reserved for a private discussion between the two leaders.
Following the session, Erhurman held a press conference in which he described the discussions as constructive but underscored the absence of a conducive environment for a long-term solution to the Cyprus issue.
During the meeting, the TRNC presented a 10-point package designed to facilitate daily life and improve cross-border coordination between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots.
Key items in the proposal include the opening of new border crossing points, direct telephone communication between security forces on both sides, measures to prevent incidents such as flag burning at border areas, and the resumption of the European Union Harmonization Committee.
Erhurman stated that these proposals address relatively manageable issues and aim to foster mutual trust.
In addition to the proposal, the TRNC officially conveyed a four-point methodology to guide any future comprehensive negotiations. Southern Cyprus has yet to issue a formal response to either the proposals or the methodology.
Erhurman confirmed that both administrations have authorized their respective presidential undersecretaries to hold regular meetings. The two leaders also agreed to maintain periodic telephone contact to ensure continuity in dialogue.
The UN said the parties expressed readiness to engage in preparations for a future informal meeting in a broader format, convened under the UN Secretary-General’s leadership. A joint meeting with Holguin is also planned during her visit to the island in early December.
Greek Cypriot media reported that Christodoulides characterized the session not as a negotiation, but as an opportunity for both sides to express priorities. He noted that the process aims to resume talks from the point where previous efforts had stalled.
Cyprus has remained divided since the 1960s, when inter-ethnic violence pushed Turkish Cypriots into enclaves, and tensions escalated further in 1974 after a Greek-backed coup triggered Türkiye’s military intervention under its guarantor role, leading to the establishment of the TRNC in 1983. Reunification efforts, including a 2017 initiative involving guarantor states and a 2004 UN-backed plan later rejected by Greek Cypriots, have so far failed to resolve the dispute.
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