President Ersin Tatar completes his London visit
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President Ersin Tatar has completed his visit to London where he participated in celebrations marking the 40th anniversary of the TRNC and held various contacts with parliamentarians and prominent UK media representatives.
Evaluating his visit to the British capital this week, President Tatar stated that he conveyed his new policy and vision for a two State settlement to the Cyprus issue on the basis of sovereign equality and equal international status of the two Sides.
President Tatar stated during his meetings that negotiations conducted under a federal basis for more than half-a-century have been tried, tested and exhausted. He said the reason for this was due to the Greek Cypriot Side's unwillingness to share power and prosperity on the basis of equality with the Turkish Cypriot Side. President Tatar stated that the Greek Cypriot Side rejected at least 15 federal-based solution plans and ideas over this time period -- as written by the late former Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister Nicos Rolandis.
President Tatar also explained that the right of self-determination of the Turkish Cypriot People is an inherent right that was also stated by the then British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan in the 1950s prior to the establishment of the partnership Republic of Cyprus in 1960 between the Turkish Cypriot People and Greek Cypriot People. He said the Turkish Cypriot People, who were expelled from the state apparatus of the republic in December 1963 by force of arms as part of the aspiration of the Greek Cypriot Side to unite Cyprus to Greece, have since been governing themselves as a state. He said the Turkish Cypriot People always put forward a political will in favour of a settlement -- the last being in the separately held simultaneous referenda of 2004 -- where 65 per cent voted in favour, whilst Greek Cypriots voted against the plan by 76 per cent. President Tatar said a new round of federal-based negotiations again collapsed in Crans-Montana in 2017. The President said a settlement can be reached on the co-existence of two States and the realities of the Island of Cyprus.
President Tatar, who underlined that there are 350,000 Turkish Cypriots living in the UK and 20,000 expats residing in the TRNC, called upon the new UK Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron to give fresh new considerations with regards to the unequal treatment of the Turkish Cypriot People in the international arena and the injustices they continue to suffer, such as not being able to trade directly or have direct flights to their own country. The President conveyed the expectations of the Turkish Cypriot People in his meetings for tangible steps to be taken by guarantor Britain and the international community to put an end to the unjust isolation and restrictions that is continuing to be imposed on the Turkish Cypriot People. He said despite the "obstructionist" policy of the Greek Cypriot Side against the Turkish Cypriot People, he continues to put forward a positive agenda for the launch of a cooperation dialogue between the two Sides in Cyprus across different fields, which he said he hopes will create a conducive environment.
President Tatar meets more than 20 UK Parliamentarians
Organised by the Freedom and Fairness for Northern Cyprus campaign, President Tatar met with more than 20 UK Parliamentarians during his visit, participated in a round-table meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for TRNC, and met with prominent British media members from the BBC, Daily Express, GB News, Daily Mail and The Sun. The President also attended a round-table meeting in Westminster hosted by Lord Rogan, that was attended by Parliamentarians and civil community representatives and councillors of Turkish Cypriot origin.
Organised by the Freedom and Fairness for Northern Cyprus campaign, President Tatar met with more than 20 UK Parliamentarians during his visit, participated in a round-table meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for TRNC, and met with prominent British media members from the BBC, Daily Express, GB News, Daily Mail and The Sun. The President also attended a round-table meeting in Westminster hosted by Lord Rogan, that was attended by Parliamentarians and civil community representatives and councillors of Turkish Cypriot origin.
In his other parliamentary meetings, President Tatar met with the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Türkiye Chair and leader of the Democratic Unionist Party Sir Jeffrey M. Donaldson, the Vice Chair of the Conservative Party Lee Anderson, Sammy Wilson and Richard Bacon.
President Tatar also met with Baroness Nosheena Shaheen Mobarik and Baroness Meral Hussein-Ece and Lord Taylor of Holbeach at the House of Lords.
The President participated in a conference at the University of Oxford, St. John’s Auditorium organised by the Oxford Turkish Society titled “The Way Forward in Cyprus”. He also spoke at a round-table meeting at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) -- the world's oldest and the UK's leading defence and security think tank and attended a panel held at the Imperial College London, Alexander Flemming Building that was organised by the Turkish Society and Turkish Forum UK, moderated by Turkish Cypriot cancer professor Mustafa Djamgöz.
President Tatar attended receptions marking the 40th anniversary of the proclamation of the TRNC and attended Republic Day ceremonies held at the Dr. Fazıl Küçük and Rauf Raif Denktaş Turkish schools in south London. He also met with businesspeople and prominent members of the Turkish Cypriot community in London at a meeting hosted by Turkish Cypriot businessman Eddie Ertan.
President Tatar was interviewed by journalist Mihrişah Safa where he spoke about his life, his aspirations, successes and vision for a two State settlement in Cyprus and the struggle of the Turkish Cypriot People to co-exist as inherent equals in Cyprus.
Accompanying the President during his meetings were Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to London Osman Koray Ertaş, TRNC Representative to London Çimen Keskin, and the Presidential Foreign Press and Communications Officer Kerem Haser.
President Tatar to continue contacts in Türkiye
President Tatar, who earlier departed from London to İstanbul, will continue his contacts in the Republic of Türkiye.
President Tatar will travel to Konya following his meetings in Bilecik.
President Tatar will inaugurate the 2023-2024 Academic Year Opening Ceremony of Bilecik Şeyh Edebali University and make a speech on "Cyprus and its Future in the Light of Current Problems". An honorary doctorate will also be presented to President Tatar.
The President will then travel to Konya on Thursday, where he will meet with Cyprus Veterans and participate in the 7th Konya Defence Industry Supplier Meetings Opening.
President Tatar will also inaugurate the Opening Ceremony of Selçuk University 2023-2024 Academic Year and make the opening speech on "Cyprus and its Future in the Light of Current Problems". President Tatar will also be presented with an honorary doctorate at Selçuk University.