President Ersin Tatar received Italian Parliamentarian and Maraş Rapporteur of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Piero Fassino at the Presidency on Wednesday.

During the meeting, which was attended by the relevant delegations and lasted for about an hour, the Cyprus issue and the draft preliminary report on Maraş were discussed.

Speaking during his meeting with the Italian Parliamentarian President Ersin Tatar stated that they put forward a new vision and stance for a realistic and sustainable solution based on sovereign equality and equal international status, which are the inherent vested rights of the Turkish Cypriot people.

Pointing out that the Greek Cypriot side has rejected at least 15 settlement plans for more than half a century, President Tatar said that this includes the Greek Cypriot side’s rejection of the UN Comprehensive Settlement Plan in April 2004.

Reminding that Greek Cypriots were made members of the EU despite their rejection of the Annan Plan, Tatar said that the international community did not fulfill its commitments to end the isolation of the Turkish Cypriot people.

He also emphasized that the Greek Cypriot side also rejected the last attempt towards a federal solution by causing the process to collapse in Crans-Montana in July 2017.

He said that the federal solution negotiations have been exhausted due to the Greek Cypriot side’s unwillingness to share power and prosperity with the Turkish Cypriot people.

Noting that the Turkish Cypriot side is continuing its contacts with the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General, who has been assigned to investigate whether there is common ground between the parties and to initiate new and formal negotiations, President Tatar said that they have put forward a vision on the basis of securing the inherent rights of the Turkish Cypriot people, namely the confirmation of sovereign equality and equal international status.

Regarding the opening of Maraş, President Tatar stated that it is an initiative to ensure a positive development on the island and to integrate Maraş, which is located within the borders of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), into civilian life.

He stated that the TRNC’s constructive approach aims to respect private property rights in accordance with international law, adding that hundreds of former Greek Cypriot residents of Maraş have applied to the Immovable Property Commission, recognized by the European Court of Human Rights, to seek an effective solution based on restitution, exchange and compensation.