There will be no enlarged meeting on the Cyprus problem until the issues which are to be discussed have been “fully developed” during talks in Cyprus, Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman said on Wednesday.

“We have not closed the door to a new conference in the 5+1 format, but such a step would not be appropriate before the issues are fully developed,” he told the BBC, with an enlarged meeting, also known as a “5+1 conference”, bringing together the island’s two sides, its three guarantor powers, Greece Turkey, and the United Kingdom, and the United Nations.

On this matter, Erhurman said that the Cyprus problem “is not just a matter for the two communities on the island”, but that it instead “should be seen as a regional issue involving the three guarantor countries and even the entire region”.

He then added that while talks continue, “there is a need to take steps to improve the quality of life of both communities on the island”, and said that to this end, he will present again his ten-point plan regarding confidence-building measures to President Nikos Christodoulides when the pair meet on Thursday.

One key issue, he said, is for “steps to be taken to end the queues” at the Ayios Dhometios crossing point, in the west of Nicosia, including with the opening of new crossing points.

He also called for moves to be made to allow Turkish Cypriot halloumi producers to export their products via the Green Line in light of plans having earlier been drawn up to allow this in light of the product’s designation by the European Union as a product of protected designation of origin (PDO).

Four Turkish Cypriot halloumi producers have been awarded PDO certificates by the EU, but no halloumi has yet been exported over the Green Line and into the wider EU.

As well as halloumi, Erhurman also made reference to the bicommunal solar farm which has been planned to be constructed in the buffer zone, but which has not yet come to fruition after differences between the island’s two sides’ positions on how the Turkish Cypriots’ allocation of electricity should be transferred to them have proved irreconcilable thus far.

He also said he wished to “enable Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot youth to participate in reciprocal sports competitions”.

During the same interview, he spoke about the Turkish Cypriots’ relations with Turkey, saying that he is in “constant contact” with Ankara and that there are “no problems” between him and the Turkish government.

He was asked to comment on remarks made by Turkish nationalist political party MHP leader Devlet Bahceli, who said after Erhurman was elected in October that the election result was “unacceptable” and that northern Cyprus should “join the Republic of Turkey” instead.

In response to the question, Erhurman said that “I have never preferred speaking from here to Ankara, or having Ankara speak from here”.

“I believe we should have a communication which is maintained through dialogue, not through mutual monologues. As I always say, the relationship between the Republic of Turkey and the TRNC is a very special relationship, incomparable to the relations between any other two states,” he said.

Therefore, he added, “it is necessary to demonstrate the sensitivity required by the unique nature of these relations”.

He later said that both he and the Turkish government are “closely monitoring” agreements signed by the Republic of Cyprus to boost its military firepower, and stressed that “the island’s security concerns both sides”.

“If a missile is launched, will it stop at the Green Line? Decisions on issues concerning the entire island have been made by ignoring half the island,” he said, before adding that this is also the case over a number of issues.

He referenced “unilateral hydrocarbon tenders” and the delimitation of exclusive economic zones (EEZ) with Lebanon.

“The will of the Turkish Cypriot side has not been taken to account in any of the regional energy projects,” he said.