Yerapetridis: Ankara's Role in TRNC Election Cannot Be Ignored

He viewed the participation of Turkey and Turkish Cypriots in the recent meeting positively and stressed that Ankara's influence would be decisive in the upcoming election in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

According to Alithia, Gerapetritis convened the council on Monday to provide an update on the informal, expanded-format meeting on Cyprus held in New York on July 16–17. Based on information obtained by the newspaper, he considered the presence of Turkey and Turkish Cypriots at the meeting as a constructive step.

Gerapetritis reportedly emphasized that conducting negotiations within the framework of UN decisions on a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation implies de facto recognition of that framework as the legitimate basis for a solution.

He also reviewed the status of confidence-building measures (CBMs) between the two communities, noting both the progress made and those initiatives that remain stalled. One of the stalled items, he noted, was the opening of new crossing points, where discussions between the sides have reportedly “stumbled.”

Regarding the upcoming presidential election in the TRNC this autumn, Gerapetritis claimed that the current president, Ersin Tatar, has reinforced his “intransigent stance,” and while the results might lead to some tactical adjustments on the Turkish Cypriot side, he does not expect a radical shift in policy.

Gerapetritis stated that Greece cannot predict who the new Turkish Cypriot leader will be, but emphasized that Ankara’s role and influence over the TRNC election process cannot be overlooked.

The meeting also reportedly included assessments that Turkey is pursuing a “blame game” strategy, consistently portraying the Greek Cypriot side as responsible for the lack of progress in resolving the Cyprus issue.