President Ersin Tatar received the Fifth President of the Maldives, Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan, who served in office in the years of 2012-2013.
Expressing his pleasure at the visit of the Fifth President of the Maldives in the TRNC, President Tatar said that he placed “great importance on the development of ties between the Maldives and the TRNC – two Muslim countries that are also small island States”.

“Cooperation in different areas such education, tourism and culture, and the solidarity between small island States such as the Maldives and the TRNC is important,” President Tatar said.

President Tatar explained that the Turkish Cypriot People continue to be subject to inhumane isolation despite the promises by many international actors to end this and to start direct trade and direct flights to the TRNC, following the rejection by the Greek Cypriot Side of the UN Comprehensive Settlement [Annan] Plan in 2004.

President Tatar added that the Greek Cypriot Side also rejected a settlement in Crans-Montana in 2017.    He explained that he is now putting forward a new vision and policy for a settlement in Cyprus that is based on the sovereign equality and equal international status of two existing States.

President Tatar expressed his gratitude to Girne American University Founding Rector and Parliamentarian Serhat Akpınar for inviting the former President of Maldives to the TRNC.
President Tatar said: “I extend my best wishes to the People of Maldives and hope to see more students from Maldives in our country. I hope that our two countries can develop mutual relations in different fields in the future for a better world.”

Former President of the Maldives, Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan said it is a pleasure to be visiting the TRNC, adding that “you have a very beautiful country”. He wished the Turkish Cypriot People success and prosperity for the future.