President Ersin Tatar concluded his visit to London by attending the “Freedom and Justice for Northern Cyprus” reception. The event, organized by the Freedom and Justice Campaign for Northern Cyprus, took place in Westminster and saw the attendance of parliamentarians, businesspeople, ambassadors, academics, think tanks, and civil society representatives.
In his address, President Tatar emphasized the importance of respecting the sovereignty rights of the Turkish Cypriot people and called for the lifting of isolations.
He highlighted that cooperation between the two states on the island of Cyprus would benefit the region, bringing sustainable peace and stability.
Following his meeting with the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Representative Maria Angela Holguin, President Tatar reiterated the lessons learned from past negotiations, noting that over half a century of federal-based talks have failed.
He asserted that a two-state solution offers a sustainable and realistic model for resolving the Cyprus issue.
President Tatar criticized the Greek Cypriot leadership for rejecting all agreements to date, including the Annan Plan.
He reminded attendees that international actors had promised to end the isolation and embargoes on the Turkish Cypriot people, yet direct flights, trade, and contacts have not commenced despite the passage of many years.
He also pointed out that the Greek Cypriot side did not accept the collapse of federal-based negotiations in Crans-Montana in 2017 and refused to agree to a solution based on equality with the Turkish Cypriot people.
Tatar called upon the United Kingdom as a guarantor country, to reassess its stance on Cyprus, urging it to re-evaluate the situation and help end the isolation imposed on the Turkish Cypriot people.
He noted the significant presence and socio-economic contributions of thousands of Turkish Cypriots living in the UK.
Prominent attendees at the reception included Türkiye’s Ambassador to London Koray Ertaş, TRNC London Representative Çimen Keskin and Special Representative Güneş Onar.