Tatar receives Beşparmak Think Tank Group
Date Added: 26 April 2023

“There is no going back from the Turkish Cypriot side’s new policy on the basis of sovereign equality and equal international status. This is our national policy,” President Ersin Tatar said on Tuesday during a visit paid to him by the Beşparmak Think Tank Group.

Receiving members of the Beşparmak Think Tank Group on Tuesday, President Ersin Tatar informed them on the latest developments on the Cyprus Problem.

Members of the visiting delegation expressed their support to President Ersin Tatar’s new two-state policy on the Cyprus issue.

Speaking during the meeting, Tatar reminded that the Turkish Cypriot’s were faced with great injustices following the 2004 Annan-Plan.

He reiterated the historic call made by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the 77th UN General Assembly, stating that embargoes and isolations were oppressing the Turkish Cypriot people.

Pointing out that the Greek Cypriot side which had rejected the Annan-Plan had been rewarded with EU membership; Tatar reminded that despite the Turkish Cypriot Side’s good intentions at Crans Montana, the Greek Cypriot side had rejected all proposals.

“Since we are aware of the Greek Cypriot side’s intentions, there is no going back from our new two-state policy on the basis of sovereign equality and equal international status,” Tatar said, adding that a federal settlement was no longer possible.

He noted that official negotiations could only begin with the acceptance of the new policy, by taking into account the Turkish-Greek balance, Türkiye’s geopolitical security and the latest developments.

Stating that the two states on the island could cooperate on any issue that will be for the benefit of both peoples, Tatar reminded that the Greek Cypriot side has yet to respond to the Turkish Cypriot side’s proposals on natural resources.

Stating that the TRNC was the southernmost representative of the Turkic world, President Ersin Tatar said that the TRNC’s status had been upgraded when looking at the developments.