President Tatar said on Thursday that it was out of the question for the Turkish Cypriot people to abandon their sovereignty for the sake of a solution with the Greek Cypriot side.
Addressing the crowd at the main 20th of July Peace and Freedom Day parade in Lefkoşa, Tatar also hailed the arrival of a new era in Cyprus.
Speaking during the ceremony, President Tatar said that the day marked the 49th anniversary of peace and tranquillity in Cyprus.
President Tatar praised Turkish President Erdoğan for choosing the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) as his first visit after being elected president and for being with the Turkish Cypriot people on the occasion of Peace and Freedom Day, which sends a strong message to the world that “the Turkish Cypriots are not alone.”
He stressed that the Cyprus issue cannot be resolved without Türkiye and that the Turkish Cypriot people could not exist in Cyprus without Türkiye.
Referring to the new policy on the Cyprus issue, advocating for a solution based on the existence of two sovereign and equal states, Tatar reminded that he had first tabled this vision at an informal meeting in Geneva in 2021.
He also pointed out that the era of forcing the Turkish Cypriot people into federal negotiations, turning them into victims of isolation, has ended.
“Instead, the Turkish Cypriot side firmly states that a just, permanent, and sustainable solution can only be achieved based on two separate states,” he said.
President Tatar expressed that they, along with Türkiye, have always been in favour of diplomacy and dialogue, and they are ready to reach a permanent settlement on the island.
He highlighted that their two-state solution proposal presented at the UN Conference in 2021, the Maras Initiative, Turkish President Erdoğan’s historic speech at the 77th UN General Assembly, and the acceptance of the TRNC as an observer member under its constitutional name at the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS) all signify the beginning of a new era in Cyprus.
President Tatar said that he had tabled numerous proposals to the Greek Cypriot side to establish cooperation mechanisms between the two states and conveyed proposals related to hydrocarbons, water, interconnectivity, renewable solar energy, preventing irregular migration, and opening doors for trade to the Greek Cypriot leadership through UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
“However, the Greek Cypriot side has yet to provide a positive answer,” Tatar said, emphasizing that every response to these constructive proposals was a test of sincerity.
He reminded that Türkiye’s proposal for an Eastern Mediterranean Conference to establish welfare and stability in the region also remained on the table.
“The participation of the Turkish Cypriot side, along with the Greek Cypriot side and other relevant countries and stakeholders, in this conference presents an invaluable opportunity to create cooperation,” the president said.
President Tatar also pointed out that the geopolitical situation in the Eastern Mediterranean has turned into a major struggle over hydrocarbon resources due to the negative attitudes and armament activities of the Greek-Greek Cypriot duo.
Expressing his expectations from the United Nations, the European Union and other countries regarding the Cyprus issue, Tatar urged the international community to persuade the Greek Cypriot side to respect the genuine equality of the Turkish Cypriot people and to affirm their sovereign equality and equal international status.
He also mentioned the ongoing and future projects in the pipeline with Türkiye; most recently plans to achieve interconnectivity with Türkiye via underwater cable.
Tatar noted that the projects included in the protocols signed between Türkiye and the TRNC for a more prosperous future are continuing, and the opening of the new terminal at Ercan Airport, celebrated with great enthusiasm, demonstrates the strengthening of the TRNC.