Philenews

Sticking Points in Confidence-Building Measures Between Cypriot Leaders

Published January 21, 2026, 08:21
Sticking Points in Confidence-Building Measures Between Cypriot Leaders

Talks continue regarding a potential meeting between the President of the Republic of Cyprus and the Turkish Cypriot leader, aiming to make progress towards a new five-party conference and the start of negotiations. However, prospects for substantial progress are considered almost non-existent, as the Turkish Cypriot leader shows no willingness to change their position. According to the article, the Greek Cypriot side anticipates that confidence-building measures will be proposed again, which in practice favor Turkish positions, promoting economic relations and de facto cooperation between two states. The author argues that these measures do not build trust between the two communities but merely perpetuate an unequal cooperation. They suggest that the Greek Cypriot side should demand substantive measures, such as the restoration of the Pentadaktylos region and the cessation of Turkish military interference in the buffer zone, as a prerequisite for building genuine trust.