President says his 5-point proposal concerns the essence of the Cyprus issue and CBMs

In his statements to journalists at the Presidential Palace upon his return from the meeting, that took place at the UNSG’s Special Representative in Cyprus residence in Nicosia UN-controlled buffer zone
Confirmation of the basis for a solution to the Cyprus problem, recording the convergences on the internal and external aspects by the UN, convening an official meeting in a broader format based on the convergences, resumption of talks and announcement there of the opening of four new crossing points, are included in the 5-point proposal submitted by President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, at his meeting on Wednesday with Turkish Cypriot leader, Tufan Erhürman, and the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General, Maria Angela Holguin.
In his statements to journalists at the Presidential Palace upon his return from the meeting, that took place at the UNSG’s Special Representative in Cyprus residence in Nicosia UN-controlled buffer zone, President Christodoulides said that his proposal concerns both the essence of the problem and confidence-building measures, and noted that he was not disappointed by the meeting. Referring to his proposal, he noted the reaffirmation of the basis for a solution to the Cyprus problem, following the reference to political equality and the resolutions of the UN Security Council, in the December 11, 2025 statement, after another joint meeting with Holguin.
The second point he referred to was the preparation by the UN of the convergences up to and including the Crans Montana talks. He said that the convergences concerning the internal aspect should be shared with the two communities, and “those on which we both agree should remain in the document”. The convergences concerning the external aspect, he said, should be shared with all five sides participating in the talks “and those on which all five agree should remain in the document”. President Christodoulides said he had with him at the meeting the convergences and divergences, that have been recorded up to Crans Montana.
As a third point, the President said he proposed, based on this document, that the UN Secretary General convenes an official conference to announce the resumption of talks based on the convergence document, which is his fourth point. The fifth point, he noted, is “at that meeting to announce the opening of four crossing points: Kokkina, Louroujina, Mia Milia and Athienou – Aglantzia, based on the UN proposed routes at the informal meeting in a broader format New York meeting last July.
President Christodoulides said that he expressed his intention to announce a number of unilateral measures for the Turkish Cypriots, at that official conference.
Discussions will continue, he said, noting that he proposed to the Turkish Cypriot leader, Tufan Erhurman, that the negotiators arrange a meeting between the two leaders in the next two weeks without Holguin’s presence.
Asked about Erhurman’s response, President Christodoulides said that they agreed not to talk on behalf of the other.
Asked whether Erhurman’s four-point methodology proposal was raised, President Christodoulides recalled that prior to the meeting, he himself had said that all four points had been answered and that he had reiterated these positions also during the joint meeting with Holguin.
In response to a journalist’s remark that in Crans Montana the convergences were recorded with blue and red points, President Christodoulides said that the blue ones are the positions of the Greek Cypriot side, the red ones are the positions of the Turkish Cypriot side and the black ones were the agreed ones. “The document is ready. I believe that it is a proposal that shows both our political will and our readiness. And let us hope that there will be positive developments,” he said.
Asked whether his proposal was well received by Holguin, the President said that he did not want to speak on her behalf.
Asked about the crossing points, he said that “we are ready for the Mia Milia crossing point even today.” Regarding the Athienou-Aglantzia crossing point, he said that, based on the proposal he submitted, he was ready to accept the UN Secretary-General’s last July’s suggestion. “It is not our proposal, it is not a Turkish proposal. I repeat, it is the Secretary-General’s proposal that he shared with us,” he said.
He expressed readiness for the opening of a crossing point on Lidinis Street in Nicosia even today.
Regarding political equality, he reiterated that the issue was resolved in the joint statement of December 11. “And it was never questioned from our side. The problem that existed with the previous Turkish Cypriot leader was because he presented political equality as sovereign equality, which does not exist,” he said.
Asked why no joint statement was issued today, he replied that there was no specific reason, adding that Holguin summarised the results in her statement.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results due to Turkish intransigence. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.
In 2025 the Secretary-General hosted two informal meetings on Cyprus, in March in Geneva and in July in New York, while a tripartite meeting with the Cyprus leaders was also held in late September, at the end of the UN General Assembly High Level Week. An informal meeting in broader format that was expected to take place before the end of 2025, is yet to be announced.
María Angela Holguín, the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy on Cyprus, is tasked to engage with the parties, while former European Commissioner Johannes Hahn, designated by the Commission as Special Envoy for Cyprus, is also expected to contribute to the settlement process, in cooperation with Holguín.
Source: CNA