TRNC President Tufan Erhürman and Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides have agreed to advance environmental and cultural initiatives and meet again next week, following their latest UN-hosted discussions and a joint appearance at the Pile Peace Festival.
The United Nations described their meeting on Tuesday, 20 October, in the UN Protected Area in Lefkoşa as “constructive”, saying discussions covered confidence-building measures, negotiating methodology and substantive issues.
The leaders welcomed the forthcoming visit of the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy on Cyprus, María Ángela Holguín, who is expected to arrive on 29 October. She will hold separate meetings with both leaders, with a trilateral meeting scheduled for 9 November.
They also agreed to proceed with initiatives concerning the environment and the exchange of cultural artefacts. Before Holguín’s arrival, they intend to meet the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage, the Technical Committee on Youth and the Steering Committee of the Civil Society Consultative Body.
Tuesday’s encounter followed another UN-hosted meeting on 13 October, which the organisation said took place in a positive atmosphere. At that meeting, the leaders agreed to continue their discussions the following week and attend the festival in Pile together.
Their joint appearance took place on Saturday evening, 17 October, at the sixth Pile Peace Festival. The event brought together residents of the mixed Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot village in the UN Buffer Zone.
Organised by Pile’s Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot mukhtars alongside the local office of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus, the festival drew a large turnout. According to the TRNC Presidency, Erhürman and Christodoulides shared a table for a meal and watched the speeches and performances.
Speaking at the event, Christodoulides said their presence conveyed a message of peace and coexistence, while stressing that community gatherings needed to be accompanied by political will to resolve the Cyprus problem.
Despite the increased contact, differences remain over the terms for restarting substantive negotiations.
In an interview published by Politis on 18 October, Erhürman said political equality, including acceptance in principle of a rotating presidency, needed to be established before negotiations resumed. The detailed arrangements for rotation would then be negotiated.
He argued that his proposed methodology was designed to prevent another inconclusive process and said the Greek Cypriot side had yet to accommodate its four points. Christodoulides, however, has criticised demands for advance commitments, arguing that outstanding issues should be addressed at the negotiating table.
Opening additional crossing points also remains unresolved. Following Tuesday’s meeting, Christodoulides said he had offered two alternatives, one of which had been rejected. He said Erhürman had sought clarification on the second and would respond at their next meeting.
TRNC President Tufan Erhürman talks to UNFICYP head Khassim Diagne as he arrives for talks with the Greek Cypriot leader in the UN Buffer Zone in Nicosia, Cyprus, 20 Oct. 2026. Photo © UN/GOM-Cyprus
Erhürman has attributed the crossings impasse to changing Greek Cypriot demands. In his Politis interview, he said alternatives he had proposed, including new road arrangements, had been rejected, while reaffirming his willingness to work towards measures that would improve daily life for both communities.
Separately, in a television interview on Tuesday evening, Erhürman confirmed rejecting a proposal linking UN administration of fenced-off Maraş with EU supervision of Gazimağusa port. He argued that the exchange was unbalanced, noting that the port already operates and that the problem facing Turkish Cypriots is their inability to trade directly with the EU.
The latest UN statement announced no agreement to restart comprehensive settlement negotiations. The immediate timetable centres on further contact between the leaders and preparations for Holguín’s visit.
