President Ersin Tatar sends letter to Greek Cypriot Leader Nikos Christodoulides
President Ersin Tatar has sent a letter to the Greek Cypriot Leader Nikos Christodoulides reiterating his readiness to visit the Committee on Missing Persons (CMP) anthropological laboratory and to issue a joint statement expressing full support to the humanitarian activities of the CMP.
The letter to Mr. Christodoulides, dated July 18, 2023, stated that President Tatar had put forward the proposal for a joint visit to the CMP anthropological laboratory during his first informal meeting with Mr. Christodoulides following his election, that was hosted by the Head of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus at his official residence.
President Tatar, in response to the recent letter of Mr. Christodoulides, wrote that “I am convinced that our joint visit will contribute to the ongoing effective work of CMP and the support we lend together on its exclusively humanitarian work will definitely encourage, especially those witnesses who have credible information on burial sites, to come forth and share it with CMP”.
The letter adds that Special Representative of the President has been in communication with the Greek Cypriot negotiator and the UN Special Representative in Cyprus on the timing of the visit and the elements which are proposed to be included in the joint statement.
President Tatar stated in the letter: “Based on the understanding reached by the Members of CMP, that the delayed excavation at the Atlılar burial site will finally begin on July 24, 2023, let me propose our visit to take place following the commencement of the excavation at the end of the same week or the beginning of the following week. . .”
President Tatar states in the letter his proposal for a joint statement with Mr. Christodoulides that expresses “full support; our acknowledgement and appreciation for the effective work carried out by CMP members, the personnel of the anthropological laboratory, and all staff involved in this work; underlining the CMP’s significant humanitarian work and emphasising the importance of insulating the CMP from political considerations”.