President Ersin Tatar speaks to TAK News Agency and asseses the designation of the Special Envoy on Cyprus by the European Commission
“The will and sovereignty rights of the Turkish Cypriot people cannot be ignored”
President Ersin Tatar has assessed the designation of a Special Envoy on Cyprus by the European Commission.
Speaking to TAK News Agency, President Tatar stated: “The EU cannot be involved in any process without our consent”.
The statement made by President Tatar is as follows:
“The European Commission has today announced that they have designated a Special Envoy on Cyprus, which is a unilateral attempt that ignores the political realities and delicate balances on the Island.
The European Commission says it has designated Johannes Hahn in order to contribute to the search for a settlement on the Cyprus issue. However, the expressions used in the announcement clearly reveal the objective of the Greek Cypriot Side – which is to prepare the ground again for the exhausted federal basis and to strengthen this discourse.
The two Sides have entered into a dialogue process following the informal meeting on Cyprus that was hosted in Geneva by the UN Secretary-General – who described this as being a “new atmosphere”. This process is being conducted with careful observance of the delicate balances that exist between the two Sides on the Island.
However, this unilateral designation by the EU has been effected in response to pressure from the Greek Cypriot side with the aim of covering up the uncompromising and imposing policies of the Greek Cypriot leadership, rather than contributing to the foundation of dialogue that has emerged in this new atmosphere.
Our vision – which we have put forward regarding a settlement on the Cyprus issue is clear. A settlement can be reached on the basis of sovereign equality and equal international status, and the cooperation of two States, which is a position we resolutely defend with the full support of Motherland Türkiye. There is absolutely no question of us stepping back from this vision.
The international community must now understand that the will and sovereignty of the Turkish Cypriot people cannot be ignored. A just, permanent and realistic solution on the island is possible through negotiations between the two peoples, on an equal footing and based on mutual respect.
I find it beneficial to reiterate, once again, that the EU cannot be involved in any process without our consent.
As the Turkish Cypriot side, we will continue our close contacts with the UN Secretary-General. We will continue to work constructively and in a result-oriented manner within the framework of the six initiatives agreed upon in the presence of the UN Secretary-General – when his Personal Envoy, Maria Holguin, visits the Island of Cyprus at the end of this month.”