Stating that “everyone accepts that there are two separate peoples and two separate authorities in Cyprus“, Tatar stated that the embargoes imposed on his country should be lifted as soon as possible in order to achieve a realistic, fair and sustainable agreement on the island and added: “It is now time to change the rules of the game in Cyprus.” required”, he said.
Tatar said, “It is not realistic for us to start the negotiation process again without our sovereign equality and equal national status being confirmed“. He underlined that in order to reach a solution on the island, an equal approach should be taken by the parties.
Tatar stated that he would raise this issue in his meeting with the UN Secretary- General.
Stating that the Greek Cypriot side is making speculations about the visit, Tatar said, “They are trying to create the perception that the Secretary-General will put pressure on us for a federally based solution, again at the request of the Greek Administration of Southern Cyprus (GCASC). We completely rejected this”, he said.
Tatar noted that if a negotiation process was to begin, it would only be on the condition of confirmation of sovereign equality, and that he would reiterate during the meeting.
Embargoes and Isolation
Pointing out that the Turkish Cypriot people have been under embargo and isolation for 60 years and their economic development has been prevented, Tatar said that he will state once again during the meeting that these should be lifted.
“There is no direct trade, no direct flights, we do not have the opportunity to meet with our interlocutors, there is no opportunity for our young people to do sports with the young people of other countries. We cannot even play football”, Tatar said, underlining that this situation is one of the important factors that disrupts equality between the Turkish and Greek Cypriots.
Reminding that the UN promised the Turkish Cypriots that it would ease the embargoes if it supported the Annan Plan, Tatar said, “The then (UN) Secretary General Kofi Annan wrote a letter to the UN Security Council (UNSC) and stated that the Turkish Cypriots kept their promise and took steps to ease the embargoes. He stated that it should be thrown away”, he said.
Tatar stated that since the UN Security Council could not make such a decision, embargoes and isolations have been implemented ruthlessly for 20 years, since 2004.
Emphasising that the Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus, which was not exposed to such embargoes and was included in the European Union, has no motivation to sit at the table with the Turkish side on equal terms, Tatar noted that he would demand that all these be corrected.
Pointing out that UN Security Council member countries could be especially effective in the demands of the TRNC, Tatar stated that New York constitutes an important opportunity to convey their demands to the international community.
Reminding the calls made by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan from the UNSC podium for the recognition of the TRNC, Tatar emphasised that although they did not have the right to speak in such diplomatic environments, Turkey addressed the world on their behalf and this was a very important support on behalf of the Turkish Cypriots.
Conversely, in an opinion piece by Ünal Fındık writing in Yeniduzen, he writes: “Tatar, on the other hand, repeated his familiar refrain and said, “a two-state solution based on sovereign equality . It no longer matters what Tatar, who was against Guterres’ appointment of a representative but took a step back in the face of Ankara’s positive approach, said. Ankara, which approves the appointment of representatives, may also approve the establishment of the negotiation table. In this case, Tatar may sit at the negotiation table with a new U-turn.
“Undoubtedly, we have become accustomed to Tatar speaking sometimes like this and sometimes like that. But we got used to something else. We also know that Tatar cannot say no to the demands coming from Turkey, on the contrary, he considers them as orders. Therefore, what Ankara will say or say to Tatar after the local elections is more important than what Guterres will want from Tatar today. We will see this in the coming days“.
