Political leaders share views ahead of Geneva talks
Date Added: 14 March 2025

President Ersin Tatar on Friday met with political party representatives ahead of the Geneva meeting, exchanging views on the upcoming discussions.

Following the meeting, party leaders shared their perspectives on the process and their expectations.

Rebirth Party (YDP) leader and Minister of Public Works and Transport Erhan Arıklı stated that President Tatar briefed them on the format of the Geneva summit. He emphasized that the party supports initiating negotiations based on two equal states and would not accept any step back from this principle. Arıklı also highlighted the importance of confidence-building measures before addressing a permanent solution, noting that such initiatives would benefit everyone involved.

Democrat Party (DP) leader, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Tourism, Culture, Youth, and Environment Fikri Ataoğlu underscored the significance of the pre-summit meeting, confirming that his party would also be present in Geneva to support President Tatar. Ataoğlu expressed optimism for productive discussions, emphasizing that the DP shares a common stance with Tatar and will continue to exchange views with him during the breaks in the Geneva talks.

Republican Turkish Party (CTP) leader Tufan Erhürman took a more cautious stance, stating that while dialogue is always important, they do not have high expectations from the Geneva meeting. He noted that the re-establishment of dialogue is a positive step, but expecting concrete outcomes would be unrealistic. Erhürman stressed that none of the parties involved wishes for a complete communication breakdown and that continued dialogue is essential for lasting peace and stability.

National Unity Party (UBP) leader and Prime Minister Ünal Üstel reaffirmed that all political parties represented in the TRNC Parliament would be in Geneva to support President Tatar.

Üstel mentioned that discussions would focus on finding ways to bring the two communities closer and exploring common ground for future cooperation.

He also highlighted energy as a critical issue, noting that both the north and south of Cyprus face challenges in this area.

Üstel stressed that the Geneva meeting should serve as an opportunity to address these economic pressures and establish a foundation for continued negotiations.

Following his discussions with the parliamentary parties, President Tatar also met with representatives from the People’s Party (HP) and the Communal Democracy Party (TDP).