Controversy continues over alleged Erdogan invitation

Issues over the purported invitation of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan to President Nikos Christodoulides to visit Ankara continued on Friday, with the political opposition claiming that knowledge of the invitation is all lies.

On Thursday, following details that emerged about the Erdogan’s conversation with Christodoulides last week during COP28, the president attempted to avoid giving a clear answer about the invitation.

More doubt was cast on Friday about who knew details about the conversation, when daily Politis reported that the two major parties Akel and Disy, who have been calling for national council meetings since the brief meeting, already knew what Christodoulides and Erdogan talked about.

Taking up the mantle this time to comment, Akel General Secretary Stefanos Stefanou said, “It is a lie, and whoever gave the information to the newspaper is lying.” He added that Akel had no idea about what Christodoulides and Erdogan discussed.

However, speaking to Astra Radio, Stefanou said that everything that can help to break the impasse and continue the talks on the solution of the Cyprus problem must be done. He emphasised that collective consultation is required within the framework of the national council, recalling that its convocation was requested from November 30.

He added that all the party was calling for was a detailed briefing on the matter, as “a lot is happening on the ground, and there is not a responsible and complete briefing.”

Aside from the fact from the political parties squabbling, it also emerged on Friday that “sources in Athens” cited by Alitihia, who originally broke the story after they were told from Greece such an invite had been made, may not really be “sources in Athens” as Politis claims they were told Athens had no idea such a message was given during the brief tete-a-tete last week.

As the media storm swirled throughout the week about the invite, a political eruption was caused on Wednesday, with the head of the Disy party, Annita Demetriou and the presidential palace exchanging a series of letters calling for a meeting of the national council – the body of political leaders in Cyprus tasked with discussing all Cyprus problem-related issues.

“Also, for such serious matters, political leaders and institutions cannot be informed by the mass media, such as today’s information about the Turkish president’s invitation to the president of the Republic to visit Ankara,” Demetriou said.

She called for the national council to be called, so that they can be informed about the developments.