President Ersin Tatar has returned home from New York where he had meetings on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, BRT reported on Monday.
In his statement to the press made upon his arrival at Ercan Airport, Tatar said that in New York, he was trying to seek the rights of the Turkish Cypriot people, and that he and his party were implementing the new policy of the national cause in consultation with the Motherland Turkey.
Tatar noted that he and his delegation had carried out their work at the Turkish House in New York and stated that the UN General Assembly was also marked by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s call for the recognition of the TRNC this year.
Tatar noted that this had strengthened their position and said, “We have no eyes on anyone’s law. We will not allow ourselves to lose our rights. The federal solution book that has lasted for 60 years has been closed. We will no longer sit at the table without accepting new politics, that is, our sovereign equality and equal political status“.
Noting that he expressed these sentiments during his meeting with UN Secretary-General Guterres, he described the struggle of the Turkish Cypriot people, their acquired rights, what happened in the last 60 years, and how the Greek side had turned over the table in a way that was different from the facts in the Annan Plan and Crans-Montana negotiations. He stated that they also expressed their opposition to the appointment of a special representative.
Tatar emphasised that the official negotiation table can be reached with the acceptance of the equal sovereign status of the Turkish Cypriot people.
Stating that he and his delegation had made suggestions for cooperation between the two sides from time to time, but these ideas were not implemented because the other side did not accept the status of the Turkish Cypriot side. Tatar said, “Cooperation can be given on some issues that may be beneficial. For example, irregular migration, exploration of natural resources, renewable energy, interconnection of energy to Europe via Turkey, clearing of mines. We said that if this is accepted, the two leaders and the secretary-general can meet. This will be the test of their sincerity”.
President Tatar noted that there are two separate people, democracy and structures in Cyprus and said that they are ready to undertake important issues on the basis of equality, but in order to address the Cyprus issue, sovereign equality must be accepted.
Stating that there were a number of problems due to the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots and the embargoes imposed on them, and that these were an insincere approach to destroy the Turkish Cypriot people and force them to an imposed solution, Tatar said, “I told the secretary-general and other people I met that the embargoes and isolations on us should be lifted in order to bridge the gap between the two sides“.
