Joint press conference of President Ersin Tatar and Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay
“A settlement in Cyprus can be reached on the basis of sovereign equality of the two States”
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President Ersin Tatar received Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay who staged an official visit to the TRNC, which culminated with a joint press conference.
President Tatar stated that a settlement in Cyprus could be reached on the basis of sovereign equality of the two States. He said he will be replying to the Greek Cypriot leader, Nicos Anastasiades and put forward proposals for the cooperation of the two States.
President Tatar said: “We reject the so-called confidence building measures put forward by Mr Anastasiades which refer to the handing over of Maraş (Varosha), and opening of our ports under the control of the UN and EU. These are out of the question.” He added: "I will disclose our concrete proposals in the coming days. . .the opening of the fenced-part of Maraş is an important and valuable step.”
Referring to the fire in Ardahan-Topçuköy-Mersinlik-Tatlısu regions, President Tatar conveyed his findings and stated that they examined the latest situation with regards to the fire. Stating that an area of 18 square kilometres had been gutted by the fire, the President added that the crisis coordination centre was currently examining the fire in the northern region.
President Tatar expressed his “most sincere gratitude and appreciation to the Republic of Türkiye, the Greek Cypriot Administration, Sovereign Base Areas and the State of Israel for helping us at our time of need by dispatching fire-fighting aircraft and providing other types of equipment.”
Emphasising the need to take lessons from what is being experienced with regards to the fire, President Tatar said that a “large area has been affected by the fire,” and added that “Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has expressed his well wishes to the TRNC”.
President Tatar also referred to the “negative impact caused by the pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war" and said: “I wish for the revival of our tourism industry this summer and for us to be able to leave behind the economic difficulties through different initiatives, and the arrival of more tourists and international students.”
President Tatar noted that Maraş has been visited by 500,000 people since it was opened in October 2020, and stated: “this opening is being undertaken in accordance with international law, which permits former inhabitants to be able to seek a domestic effective legal remedy at the European Court of Human Rights sanctioned Immovable Property Commission”. He also pointed out that the TRNC is “currently working to improve the infrastructure of Maraş”.
President Tatar emphasised the importance of having the “active and effective guarantee of the Republic of Türkiye and that this has once again been seen in the Russia-Ukraine war”.
President Tatar criticised the Greek Cypriot leader for attempting to draw similarities of the war in Ukraine with the Cyprus issue, adding: “Had Türkiye not have exercised her obligation to undertake the Peace Operation on July 20, 1974, there would not have been a Turkish Cypriot left to save, and there would have been Union of the island with Greece. The Turkish Cypriot people, who are one of the co-owners of the island with inherent rights, were being massacred. Türkiye’s Peace Operation brought real peace to the island of Cyprus.”
Expressing that the “essence of the Cyprus issue is a matter of sovereignty”, President Tatar said that “federal based negotiations have been exhausted, because of consistent rejections of the Greek Cypriots to share power and prosperity with the Turkish Cypriot People, on the basis of equality. The Greek Cypriot Side is only interested in using a federal set-up to rule the Turkish Cypriots and to assimilate us”.
Stating that Greece has violated international law in the Aegean Islands and is attempting to extend their authority to our region as well, President Tatar stated: “the Turkish Cypriot Side will not fall into this trap” adding that “Türkiye is the largest and most powerful country in the region”.
In his statement at the press conference, Vice President of the Republic of Türkiye , Fuat Oktay, stated that the strengthening of the TRNC is of great importance and said that they fully support the Turkish Cypriots to consolidate their sovereignty.
Mr Oktay also stated that the Turkish Cypriot people showed their desire for a two State settlement by exercising their democratic right and by electing Mr Ersin Tatar as President.
Mr Oktay stated: “What bothers the Greek Cypriots is the fact that the people of the TRNC are standing firm. The Republic of Türkiye fully supports the TRNC and everybody should know this. The slander and intimidation policies will not affect us.”