President Tatar meets with Spehar
President Ersin Tatar came together with United Nations Secretary General Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus Elizabeth Spehar and her accompanying delegation.
During acquaintance meeting with Ms. Spehar’s delegation, President Tatar conveyed to the delegation the new approach and stance of the Turkish Cypriot side to achieve a reconciliation in Cyprus. Pointing out that the federation negotiations have failed and have come to an end, the President said possible solution should be based on the grounds of sovereign equality and two-state and asked for this message to be conveyed to the Secretary-General.
President Tatar emphasized that as a result of the Greek Cypriot side’s attempts for years, the isolations and restrictions imposed on the Turkish Cypriot people by the international community aimed at excluding the Turkish Cypriot side from the world, and added that the Turkish Cypriot people’s sole supporter is Turkey in this process.
Expressing that the Greek Cypriot side has no right to criticize brotherhood and alliance bonds with motherland Turkey, the President said the fact that there are no direct flights to the TRNC other than Turkey is both a human rights violation and an unacceptable behaviour aimed at collapsing our economy.
In addition to this, the President indicated that outdated restrictions on sports activities are also against fundamental rights and freedoms. During the meeting, Ms. Spehar, on her part, said there is a serious lack of trust between both parties on the island and it is necessary to revitalise the technical committees in order to implement confidence-building measures.
President Tatar stated that the Turkish Cypriot side sincerely supports confidence-building measures and technical committee works and it is the Greek Cypriot side that should take steps in this regard. He also expressed that the Greek Cypriot side's opposition to such approaches- for improving daily life- constitutes the biggest obstacle before confidence building measures.
As stated by the General Secretary in his related reports, the obsession about recognition by the Greek Cypriot side should be eliminated was emphasized.
During the meeting, Ms. Spehar also gave information about the mission and work of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus.
President Tatar stated that in line with the confidence-building measures between the two sides, direct flights should be initiated, the Green Line Regulation should be more effective in practice, no obstacles to foreign tourists and investors should be put at crossing points and especially Arasta crossing point should be opened.
Regarding the Covid-19 outbreak, the President pointed out that there are an average of 200 cases per day in the Greek Cypriot side and 5-6 cases in the TRNC. President Tatar noted that we should have been the ones to close the borders to protect the people, however we did not do this. The Greek Cypriot side closed most borders for political reasons, he added.
At the meeting, where the issue of Varosha was also on the agenda, upon Ms. Spehar’s well-known views and warnings on the matter, President Tatar explained that this move is a game-changer step to open the closed Varosha, which has become a symbol of the status quo, to its former residents as envisaged in the UN resolutions and aimed to return to the owners by means of the Immovable Property Commission in the TRNC, which is recognised by the European Court of Human Rights, therefore it is in accordance with international law and there are strong demands and applications from Greek Cypriot citizens on this issue.
President Tatar asked “How will you oppose these demands as the UN?” and reminded that in the past, the closed Varosha was repeatedly proposed within the framework of a package and later became a part of the comprehensive settlement, but both these packages and the comprehensive settlement were always rejected by the Greek Cypriots. He noted that under these conditions, there is no political, economic, legal and humanitarian logic for Varosha, which was closed for 46 years, to stay close and idle.
In the meeting, views were exchanged on the visit of Jane Holl Lute, the Special Adviser of the UN Secretary General, to our island and the region at the end of the month and regarding the 5+UN format meeting, where the Secretary General will bring the relevant parties together.
President Tatar pointed out that the proposal was of the Turkish side and emphasized that our introduction of our new policies based on sovereign equality should be considered as an opportunity to find a way forward for a viable reconciliation in Cyprus.
President Tatar emphasized that as a result of the Greek Cypriot side’s attempts for years, the isolations and restrictions imposed on the Turkish Cypriot people by the international community aimed at excluding the Turkish Cypriot side from the world, and added that the Turkish Cypriot people’s sole supporter is Turkey in this process.
Expressing that the Greek Cypriot side has no right to criticize brotherhood and alliance bonds with motherland Turkey, the President said the fact that there are no direct flights to the TRNC other than Turkey is both a human rights violation and an unacceptable behaviour aimed at collapsing our economy.
In addition to this, the President indicated that outdated restrictions on sports activities are also against fundamental rights and freedoms. During the meeting, Ms. Spehar, on her part, said there is a serious lack of trust between both parties on the island and it is necessary to revitalise the technical committees in order to implement confidence-building measures.
President Tatar stated that the Turkish Cypriot side sincerely supports confidence-building measures and technical committee works and it is the Greek Cypriot side that should take steps in this regard. He also expressed that the Greek Cypriot side's opposition to such approaches- for improving daily life- constitutes the biggest obstacle before confidence building measures.
As stated by the General Secretary in his related reports, the obsession about recognition by the Greek Cypriot side should be eliminated was emphasized.
During the meeting, Ms. Spehar also gave information about the mission and work of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus.
President Tatar stated that in line with the confidence-building measures between the two sides, direct flights should be initiated, the Green Line Regulation should be more effective in practice, no obstacles to foreign tourists and investors should be put at crossing points and especially Arasta crossing point should be opened.
Regarding the Covid-19 outbreak, the President pointed out that there are an average of 200 cases per day in the Greek Cypriot side and 5-6 cases in the TRNC. President Tatar noted that we should have been the ones to close the borders to protect the people, however we did not do this. The Greek Cypriot side closed most borders for political reasons, he added.
At the meeting, where the issue of Varosha was also on the agenda, upon Ms. Spehar’s well-known views and warnings on the matter, President Tatar explained that this move is a game-changer step to open the closed Varosha, which has become a symbol of the status quo, to its former residents as envisaged in the UN resolutions and aimed to return to the owners by means of the Immovable Property Commission in the TRNC, which is recognised by the European Court of Human Rights, therefore it is in accordance with international law and there are strong demands and applications from Greek Cypriot citizens on this issue.
President Tatar asked “How will you oppose these demands as the UN?” and reminded that in the past, the closed Varosha was repeatedly proposed within the framework of a package and later became a part of the comprehensive settlement, but both these packages and the comprehensive settlement were always rejected by the Greek Cypriots. He noted that under these conditions, there is no political, economic, legal and humanitarian logic for Varosha, which was closed for 46 years, to stay close and idle.
In the meeting, views were exchanged on the visit of Jane Holl Lute, the Special Adviser of the UN Secretary General, to our island and the region at the end of the month and regarding the 5+UN format meeting, where the Secretary General will bring the relevant parties together.
President Tatar pointed out that the proposal was of the Turkish side and emphasized that our introduction of our new policies based on sovereign equality should be considered as an opportunity to find a way forward for a viable reconciliation in Cyprus.