Statement of President Ersin Tatar following the meeting in the Assembly of the Republic where the President informed Members of Parliament the latest developments on the Cyprus issue in a closed session that lasted approximately four hours
"There is no common ground for the negotiation process to begin"
President Ersin Tatar has taken part in a four-hour long closed session of the Parliamentary Assembly where he informed MP’s the latest developments on the Cyprus issue.
Making a statement to the press following the meeting, President Tatar thanked the Speaker of the Assembly, Zorlu Töre, and the deputies for inviting him to speak in Parliament.
Pointing out that his briefing on the Cyprus issue was held in a closed session – as previously conducted, President Tatar said: "I am happy to be here, at our Parliament, to brief our MP’s about the latest developments on the Cyprus issue. The Cyprus issue is, as is known, a sensitive issue and this is why a closed-session has been held – which has always been the case when previous presidents of our Republic have participated in such meetings.”
“Perhaps the closed session will not have been broadcast on television,” President Tatar said. “However, the closed-session was held for our Parliamentarians with transparency and openness”.
Stating that he answered questions raised by Members of Parliament, President Tatar stressed that the answers he has given “have also been recorded in Parliament records”.
Stating that he was elected for his two State basis and new vision for a realistic and sustainable settlement in Cyprus, President Tatar said: “Negotiations held under the federal basis for more than half-a-century have failed to produce a comprehensive solution, due to the Greek Cypriot Side’s refusal to reach a settlement as was the case in the 2004 Annan Plan separately held simultaneous referenda, and the collapse of the process in Crans-Montana in 2017. The Greek Cypriot Side has repeatedly demonstrated its refusal to share power and prosperity on the basis of equality with the Turkish Cypriot Side, which has been subjected to inhuman isolation and restrictions, and deprived of their inherent rights, namely their sovereign equality and equal international status.”
President Tatar stated that the UN Secretary-General appointed Maria Angela Holguin to be his Personal Envoy, with a specific mandate to explore whether common ground exists or not to start new and formal negotiations, for a period not exceeding six months.
“We have stated that we are ready to meet. However, there is no common ground that is essentially needed to start a new and formal negotiations process, because the other side does not accept our sovereignty. There is no point in sitting through a negotiation process while our inherent rights continues to be denied.”
Stating that these and similar issues were discussed in the Parliamentary session, President Tatar pointed out the importance of developing relations with Turkic States, adding: "What I am saying is that we need to be patient and to put forward our position that we are not a minority in Cyprus, and that we are just as sovereign as the Greek Cypriot side.”
Stating that during the session a member of parliament had shared a social media post on the closed session which was then covered in the news, President Tatar said he was not the one who requested the closed session, as has been claimed.
"As the president, I neither requested, nor suggested that a closed session be held,” President Tatar said, adding that “the Cyprus issue, which is a sensitive national issue of our country, has always been discussed in closed sessions in our Parliament”.
“Our position in Cyprus is clear. And the international community is aware of our two State position and the justification for arriving at this point, following the exhaustion of the federal basis,” President Tatar said. “As a matter of fact, this position is gaining ground, because there are facts on the ground in Cyprus that nobody can deny,” President Tatar said.
President Tatar added: “In the Island of Cyprus, there are two separate peoples, two separate States, two separate democracies and the national struggles of these peoples. The Turkish Cypriot People have put forward a struggle to co-exist in peace as neighbours in a cooperative relationship, following their sincere and good faith approach to reach a federal settlement, which has failed time and again due to the Greek Cypriot Side’s refusal of sharing the governance and resources of the Island with us. We will continue to put forward a sincere and constructive approach on the way forward for Cyprus.”
Stating that the TRNC is entitled to be recognised internationally, President Tatar said: “Our republic should take its rightful place in the world. The international community should honour the promises to end our isolation. The Turkish Cypriot people are entitled to live in peace, tranquility and security on these lands under the roof of their own State. We have no other basis or aim."
President Tatar ended his statement by underlining “our struggle for the acceptance of the realities of the Island of Cyprus, the existence of two States, two Peoples and two separate democracies on the Island”.