President Ersin Tatar speaks to the press after his meeting with UN Senior Official Jane Holl Lute
President Ersin Tatar held a two-and-a-half-hour meeting with UN senior official Jane Holl Lute, on Tuesday at the Office of the President.
Speaking following the meeting, President Tatar said: “With the support and authority afforded to us by our people, a new period is beginning. Talks on reaching an agreement on a federal basis that has been ongoing for 52 years has ended without any conclusion. The UN Secretary General experienced this first-hand in Crans Montana. It is time for a solution to be based on sovereign equality; where there are two States co-existing side by side that are in cooperation.”
President Tatar said the Turkish Cypriot side was in support of a five-plus-one international conference on Cyprus, stating: “Following the call made by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, the five-plus-one conference -- ie the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot sides, Turkey, Greece, UK and the UN, should be held. We will have the opportunity to express our position concerning the realities of Cyprus, and for negotiation processes to be started that allows for the introduction of a new basis.”
Explaining that the “Turkish Cypriot people have a right to live in peace, prosperity and security,” the President added: “We have a right to live in this country. The Turkish Cypriots are one of the parties according to 1960 international agreements and one of the two Peoples of Cyprus, emanating from historical agreements which give them sovereign rights in this island.
“We believe that this process should be started that affords the right of self-determination to the Turkish Cypriots, which does not permit the Greek Cypriots to dominate the Turkish Cypriots.”
“Despite the good will of the Turkish Cypriots during previous negotiation processes since 1974, and the good intention, understanding and flexibility shown, including during the periods of the Annan Plan and Crans Montana processes, this was never reciprocated. Therefore, a negotiations process on this basis would not possibly end with success. That is why there is a need to start a new page, a new process, which the Turkish Cypriots deserve, because it is the Turkish Cypriots who are the victims,” the President said.
Pointing to the “unjust international isolation that has prevented the youth of the country from participating in international sports events”, President Tatar added: “If our youth are unable to play sports internationally, our people unable to participate in economic, political and cultural events, and face embargoes and isolation, which are preventing the development of the TRNC; and if Greek Cypriots are placing obstacles to direct flights – which victimise the Turkish Cypriots, we believe there is a need for more creativity in order to allow our people and youth to open up to the world. We have expectations, as does the other side. We explained our expectations and the rights and interests of the Turkish Cypriot people in a detailed manner to Ms Lute.”
Concerning the Eastern Mediterranean, President Tatar said: “Cyprus is no longer the old Cyprus. In developments of recent years, the region is more important strategically because of the developments concerning hydrocarbons, and there are many sides involved in the region. If there is going to be a just, sustainable agreement in Cyprus, new processes should be made use of, bearing in mind all of these developments. Ms Lute will be meeting Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades tonight; she may want to meet us again later. However, her duty is to evaluate the positions of both sides, and she may also visit Turkey. Following her contacts, Ms Lute will pass on to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres whether there is sufficient basis to organise a five-plus-one conference on Cyprus.”
Explaining the position of the Turkish Cypriot side concerning the five-plus-one conference, President Tatar stated:
“I explained to Ms Lute that a five-plus-one conference should be held, so that we are able to convey everything that we have explained to her in our meeting today, because the realities of Cyprus and the present conjuncture are indeed very different than before. Everything I have stated makes it more relevant to having an agreement based on sovereign equality, and a two State model where the States co-exist side by side. There is more reason and justification for this because federal talks that have been ongoing for 52 years have not yielded any result.
We explained to Ms Lute how we have come to this point on the hydrocarbons issue, together with Turkey.
The Turkish Cypriot people will be, as they have always been, in favour of a just and sustainable solution which is beneficial to all concerned in a win-win manner. Because if an agreement is going to materialise, it is going to benefit both the Turkish Cypriots and the Greek Cypriots, and will provide regional stability. I thank Ms Lute for taking the time to visit us and asked her to convey our warm wishes to the UN Secretary General, Mr Guterres.”
President Tatar said the Turkish Cypriot side was in support of a five-plus-one international conference on Cyprus, stating: “Following the call made by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, the five-plus-one conference -- ie the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot sides, Turkey, Greece, UK and the UN, should be held. We will have the opportunity to express our position concerning the realities of Cyprus, and for negotiation processes to be started that allows for the introduction of a new basis.”
Explaining that the “Turkish Cypriot people have a right to live in peace, prosperity and security,” the President added: “We have a right to live in this country. The Turkish Cypriots are one of the parties according to 1960 international agreements and one of the two Peoples of Cyprus, emanating from historical agreements which give them sovereign rights in this island.
“We believe that this process should be started that affords the right of self-determination to the Turkish Cypriots, which does not permit the Greek Cypriots to dominate the Turkish Cypriots.”
“Despite the good will of the Turkish Cypriots during previous negotiation processes since 1974, and the good intention, understanding and flexibility shown, including during the periods of the Annan Plan and Crans Montana processes, this was never reciprocated. Therefore, a negotiations process on this basis would not possibly end with success. That is why there is a need to start a new page, a new process, which the Turkish Cypriots deserve, because it is the Turkish Cypriots who are the victims,” the President said.
Pointing to the “unjust international isolation that has prevented the youth of the country from participating in international sports events”, President Tatar added: “If our youth are unable to play sports internationally, our people unable to participate in economic, political and cultural events, and face embargoes and isolation, which are preventing the development of the TRNC; and if Greek Cypriots are placing obstacles to direct flights – which victimise the Turkish Cypriots, we believe there is a need for more creativity in order to allow our people and youth to open up to the world. We have expectations, as does the other side. We explained our expectations and the rights and interests of the Turkish Cypriot people in a detailed manner to Ms Lute.”
Concerning the Eastern Mediterranean, President Tatar said: “Cyprus is no longer the old Cyprus. In developments of recent years, the region is more important strategically because of the developments concerning hydrocarbons, and there are many sides involved in the region. If there is going to be a just, sustainable agreement in Cyprus, new processes should be made use of, bearing in mind all of these developments. Ms Lute will be meeting Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades tonight; she may want to meet us again later. However, her duty is to evaluate the positions of both sides, and she may also visit Turkey. Following her contacts, Ms Lute will pass on to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres whether there is sufficient basis to organise a five-plus-one conference on Cyprus.”
Explaining the position of the Turkish Cypriot side concerning the five-plus-one conference, President Tatar stated:
“I explained to Ms Lute that a five-plus-one conference should be held, so that we are able to convey everything that we have explained to her in our meeting today, because the realities of Cyprus and the present conjuncture are indeed very different than before. Everything I have stated makes it more relevant to having an agreement based on sovereign equality, and a two State model where the States co-exist side by side. There is more reason and justification for this because federal talks that have been ongoing for 52 years have not yielded any result.
We explained to Ms Lute how we have come to this point on the hydrocarbons issue, together with Turkey.
The Turkish Cypriot people will be, as they have always been, in favour of a just and sustainable solution which is beneficial to all concerned in a win-win manner. Because if an agreement is going to materialise, it is going to benefit both the Turkish Cypriots and the Greek Cypriots, and will provide regional stability. I thank Ms Lute for taking the time to visit us and asked her to convey our warm wishes to the UN Secretary General, Mr Guterres.”