President Ersin Tatar on Wednesday reiterated his support for a two-state solution.

“Only with the confirmation of sovereign equality and equal international status for the Turkish Cypriot side can negotiations be back on the table,” Tatar told reporters following his meeting with the UN Secretary General’s Personal Envoy Maria Angela Holguín.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday following his one hour long meeting with the UN personal envoy who is in Cyprus as part of her efforts to achieve common ground for the launch of a new round of talks, President Ersin Tatar said that a solution in Cyprus could only be possible on the basis of a two-state solution.

“It is my sincere hope that Ms Holguín reflects the realities and facts on the island as well as what has been experienced in the past 50 years in her upcoming report. She has had the opportunity to learn and understand the substance of the Cyprus problem. I hope that the injustices carried out against Turkish Cypriots and how the Greek Cypriot side has been exploiting its position are reflected in her report,” Tatar said.

He added that the recognition of the Turkish Cypriot side’s sovereignty was a sine-qua non for negotiations to restart.

Tatar pointed out that the Greek Cypriot side was treated as the legitimate government of Cyprus and that the Greek Cypriots as members of the EU exploited the rights of the Turkish Cypriots to the very end.

“We see this isolation in every form, from embargoes to direct flights and trade,” Tatar stressed.

The president also pointed out that the Greek Cypriots had done everything possible to prevent his participation in the recent OIC summit in Gambia.

“What needs to change first and foremost is the mentality. The Turkish Cypriots are just as legitimate as the Greek Cypriots. That is why we are waging this struggle. If there is no common ground there is no meaning in holding new talks,” he said.

President Tatar said that forced efforts for a solution had not and will not yield results and that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), with its institutions, democracy and people existed with the support of motherland Türkiye.