It was a historic moment for efforts to promote the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) as President Ersin Tatar met with his Kyrgyz counterpart Sadır Caparov in Bishkek on Monday.
Evaluating his contacts following his meeting with Kyrgyzstan’s president, Tatar reiterated that negotiations in Cyprus could only begin as and when the sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Cypriot people was recognized.
“Regarding whether there is a common ground or not, we can meet with the United Nations Secretary General’s special envoy,” the president said.
Evaluating his contacts on BRT, President Tatar, who also met with Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadır Caparov, emphasized their commitment to strengthening ties between the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and Kyrgyzstan.
As part of his contacts in Bishkek, President Tatar also spoke at the Energy Investments and Cooperation Conference organized by the Turkish World Engineers and Architects Union and was awarded an honorary doctorate during the conference.
Among those who attended was the Minister of Public Works and Transportation, Erhan Arıklı, as well as representatives and officials from the Office of the President.
Tatar described his visit to Kyrgyzstan as historic and underscored the ongoing efforts to strengthen the bonds between TRNC and Kyrgyzstan.
President Tatar also highlighted his one-on-one meeting with his Kyrgyzstan counterpart Sadır Caparov, during which he explained the Cyprus issue and the reasons behind the policy of a two-state solution.
“We discussed various international challenges the TRNC faces and requested increased support from Kyrgyzstan. It was a sincere meeting. Caparov expressed his familiarity with the Cyprus issue and his understanding of the difficulties. Mr Caparov stated that with their support, TRNC will gradually reach the place it deserves. He mentioned that he spent some time in Cyprus and is aware of the injustices Turkish Cypriots faced,” he said.
Tatar also mentioned that the Kyrgyzstan President would assign different parliamentarians to improve relations between the two countries.
During his meeting, President Tatar elaborated on what could be done in a two-state Cyprus; expressing that cooperation between the two states would be beneficial.
He stated that besides natural resources and water sharing, the two sides could also discuss the issue of irregular migration.
Tatar also reiterated that the Turkish Cypriot side has never shied away from talks and cooperation on the Cyprus issue.
He emphasized that while they did not avoid collaboration during discussions with the UN Secretary-General, negotiations could only begin based on equality and with the confirmation of equal international status, not on a federative basis.
Regarding the potential appointment of a UN Special Representative, Tatar said that the Turkish Cypriot side would be open to meeting with the UN envoy to determine whether or not there is common ground.
President Tatar also mentioned the possibility of increased student and tourism activities between the two countries, stating that Caparov welcomed the idea.
However, Caparov reportedly mentioned that direct flights between the two countries would not start for the time being but could be considered in the future.