President Ersin Tatar received the United Nations (UN) Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo this morning.

The meeting at the Presidency lasted one and a half hours.

President Ersin Tatar received Rosemary DiCarlo, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs.

In her brief statement after the meeting, the UN Under-Secretary-General Rosemary Dicarlo said that she and President Ersin Tatar discussed the comprehensive meeting to be held next month and the issues to be discussed in this meeting.

DiCarlo stated that it was a productive meeting and that she had a good conversation with Tatar and that she would also meet with Greek Cypriot Leader Nicos Christodoulides in the following hours.

“This is my second visit to the island. I am very pleased to be here,” Dicarlo said, emphasizing that she will meet with the Bi-Communal Cyprus Women’s Coalition and then with representatives later in the day.

Also making a statement after the meeting President Ersin Tatar said that they discussed various different issues with UN Deputy Secretary General Rosmary Di Carlo and stated that they had a useful meeting.

Tatar stated that Di Carlo informed them that there could be a meeting in Geneva on March 17-18, including the guarantor countries Türkiye, Greece and the UK.

“We said that we can participate in this unofficial meeting. Some preparations will continue beforehand. Constructively, we will continue to say that if steps are to be taken towards the solution of the Cyprus issue, it can be with the sovereign equality and equal status of the Turkish Cypriots,” said Tatar.

He noted that they had the opportunity to convey to Di Carlo that the protection of inherent rights is of vital importance when looking at the founding agreements of the past and said, “The isolation and embargoes imposed on the Turkish Cypriots are unacceptable”.

Stating that the Greek Cypriot side’s uncompromising attitude continues, President Tatar underlined that the sensitivities of the Turkish Cypriot people must be accepted for a fair, permanent and sustainable agreement,

He said the UN and other countries must step in.

Touching on the importance of opening up on issues such as direct flights and direct trade, Tatar stated that if these openings are realized, official negotiations can be started.

Tatar stated that they are always open to cooperation on various issues such as natural gas and tourism and made evaluations on transitions.

Touching upon the border crossings and gates on the island Tatar said “There are 9 gates in total, there were around 8 million crossings in 2024. This means that Metrehan is the most congested of the 9 gates. We conveyed that the congestion may increase even more with the opening of the Presidential compound and the parliament and the park in the region. We had proposed Haspolat and Akıncılar gates. We did not receive a response from the Greek Cypriot administration and I conveyed all these problems to DiCarlo.”

Tatar said, “There are problems because the Greek Cypriot administration does not accept the authority here, but I conveyed during the meeting that the TRNC exists with all its institutions and will continue to exist.”

Tatar said that after 1974, people of Turkish origin born in Cyprus were not allowed to cross to the south and that he informed DiCarlo of this was astonished by this situation and that this is unacceptable in this age.

DiCarlo also meet with Greek Cypriot Administration leader Nicos Christodoulides today.

Following her visit to Cyprus, DiCarlo will visit Athens on February 12 and Ankara on February 13.