President Ersin Tatar evaluated his visit to Azerbaijan to Anadolu Agency (AA).

“This visit to Azerbaijan is very important and valuable because we see that we can move towards our goal, step by step and that we are not alone” said Tatar.

Explaining that they visited Baku with a strong delegation, Tatar emphasized that his meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev took place in a very sincere atmosphere and stated that they are the sons of the same nation.

“We have to be together in good times and bad times. Aliyev also confirmed this. The strengthening of Turkic unity will benefit each and every one of us. Our future generations will benefit a lot from this because you can no longer be alone in the world and the TRNC can never be alone. This Turkish state in the Eastern Mediterranean has strategic value. When you look at the geography from Baku to Ceyhan, from the westernmost part of Türkiye to the south is the TRNC and there is a great unity. The concept of ‘one nation, three states’ is meaningful and valuable to us” said Tatar.

He also mentioned the formation of the Organization of Turkic States and said, “Now the Organization has emerged as a potential great power.

Stating that the Turkic world has great economic potential with a population of 300 million, Tatar said that natural gas will be found in the Eastern Mediterranean and that Türkiye serves as an important bridge in the transfer of energy resources to the West.

He added that if natural gas is found in the Eastern Mediterranean then the TRNC is in a position to take its own responsibility and role.

Touching upon the Cyprus issue, Tatar underlined that there has been no solution to the Cyprus issue in the negotiations that have been going on for years.

“If there is to be an agreement in Cyprus, it will be a two-state solution. If there is a federal-based partnership and this partnership will be in the European Union, this will not be sustainable because Türkiye will be excluded” he said.

Emphasizing that Türkiye is getting stronger day by day, Tatar said, “Türkiye, which will have a say in the world in the new century, will continue to put its weight in Cyprus, which is 40 miles away, in terms of maintaining peace, tranquillity and security and ensuring national and regional stability there.”

Noting that the entire Turkic world should support the Turkish Cypriot cause, Tatar said that with the support of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and other friendly countries, the new politics should take root as factor of balance and if there can be an agreement in Cyprus, it should be with the cooperation of two states (the TRNC and the Greek Cypriot Administration of South Cyprus).

“If an official negotiation process is to begin, it can only be with the recognition of the sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Cypriot people” said Tatar.

He also said that it is very important and valuable for the TRNC to become an observer member of the Organisation of Turkic States.

“The TRNC may not be recognized by the international community for different reasons. But there is a reality in the world and that the Turkish Cypriot people do exist” said Tatar.