Turkish Cypriot Leader Denies Rejecting Tripartite Meeting with UN Secretary-General

Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman met with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York, denying claims that he rejected a tripartite meeting with Guterres and Greek Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides. Erhurman stated that the Greek Cypriot side had attempted to prevent Turkish Cypriot officials from meeting with other governments, citing issues with political equality. He also expressed disappointment that the Greek Cypriot side had taken initiatives that eroded trust, rather than focusing on confidence-building measures. The two sides have been in disagreement over various issues, including the meaning of political equality, crossing points, and the methodology of the talks.