The request that Turkish Cypriot Nicosia mayor Mehmet Harmanci not be referred to as a mayor at the Cyprus Forum came directly from “Republic of Cyprus officials”, the forum’s executive president Nicolas Kyriakides said on Friday.

He told the Cyprus Mail that in the first instance, when he was listed as the “mayor of [the] Nicosia Turkish Municipality”, that title “was based on the information speakers provide to us themselves”, and that it was noticed by Elam, who demanded that Harmanci’s invitation be withdrawn.

“We rejected that outright, and it was never under consideration. The statement did, however, draw attention to the title, and we then received official requests from Republic of Cyprus officials pointing out that it is not accepted by the Greek Cypriot side,” he said.

After receiving these requests, he said, the Cyprus Forum had “consulted” Greek Cypriot Nicosia mayor Charalambos Prountzos, “and in the meantime we used the title that the two mayors had themselves used at their recent joint meetings”, that being the title of “leader of the Turkish Cypriot community of Nicosia”.

He said that at the same time as making this change, the organisation wrote to Harmanci, but that “our mistake was that we did not have that conversation with both mayors before the agenda was published, as we had done in previous years”.

Asked whether he had considered altering both mayors’ titles, he said that “this is exactly what we proposed to both mayors immediately after the change”.

Referring to both mayors with alternative titles, he said, is “also what happened in the past two years, when the two mayors appeared together at the forum with titles agreed upon in advance on both sides”.

“We have always wanted both mayors to have equal titles, and that remains our position. Our door remains open. If both mayors can agree on titles acceptable to them both, we would be glad to welcome them back to the forum, next week or at any time in the future,” he said.

Harmanci: What is newsworthy is my dear friend Prountzos’ solidarity

Harmanci, meanwhile, said on Friday that “what is newsworthy about the recent events surrounding the Cyprus Forum is not my withdrawal, it is my dear friend, Mayor Charalambos Prountzos’ solidarity”.

“This was never a title issue. I have partaken in many joint events in the south, as well as internationally, with the title of leader or representative of the Turkish Cypriot community of Nicosia,” he said.

Instead, he added, “the issue with recent events was the Cyprus Forum’s unilateral, unapologetic, and public surrender to the demands of a racist, divisive propaganda machine”.

“Mine was a difficult decision, taken after careful consideration and deliberately relayed to the organisers directly without public announcement. His was the brave decision,” he said.

He then addressed Prountzos directly, saying, “dear Charalambos, on behalf of all Cypriots who still believe in peace and reunification in Cyprus, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your courage, empathy, solidarity, and dedication to peace”.

“Our common goal in agreeing to participate in this event together, just like many others in the past, was to foster dialogue, trust, and cooperation between our two communities, with the hopes of contributing to a better future for all Nicosians and Cypriots. This time, we have accomplished this by leaving together,” he said.

He added that “regardless of titles or status, we will continue to stand united against all forces who strive to sow seeds of animosity and hatred in our communities, on both sides of the island”.

“We will continue to work together, walk together, and leave together when necessary, steadfastly, to build more bridges across Nicosia. Fear does not build peace. Courage does,” he said.