Türkiye welcomed broader confidence-building progress in Cyprus, while its foreign ministry spokesperson described progress on new crossings as limited and said further cooperation depended on a change in the Greek Cypriot side’s position.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Öncü Keçeli said a Nov. 9 meeting between Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman, Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres’ Personal Envoy for Cyprus, María Ángela Holguín, addressed cooperation aimed at building trust.
Keçeli described progress on opening new crossings as limited and said the issue had been on the agenda for a year and a half. He characterized the Greek Cypriot position as uncompromising and said further progress in cooperation would require a change in that position.
The United Nations said the leaders agreed to open two crossings at the same time: Kampos/Kambo–Karavostasi/Gemikonağı and Louroujina/Akıncılar–Lympia/Limya. The statement did not give an opening date.
The United Nations said the leaders would continue discussions on other crossing points and pending issues at a planned meeting with Guterres in the coming weeks. It did not specify a date for that meeting.
