Tatar sends letter to Christodoulides
Date Added: 19 July 2023

President Ersin Tatar sent a letter to the Greek Cypriot leader, Nikos Christodoulides on Tuesday, regarding the issue of Missing Persons in Cyprus.

In a written statement, President Tatar stated that during their informal meeting at the residence of the Chief of Mission of the UN Peacekeeping Force in the buffer zone, they had discussed various topics, including their potential cooperation in response to a possible earthquake based on his proposal.

He reminded that they had reached a consensus on the importance of supporting the Committee on Missing Persons (CMP) in their humanitarian and productive work, and agreed to visit the committee in order to show their support.

Pointing out that the CMP had been carrying out its work for over 40 years within the framework of its mandate, with the joint decision of the current three members, Tatar said that the decision to initiate the excavation work at the Atlılar mass grave was also taken with the approval of the three members in January, 2023.

He however added that the work, which was supposed to begin May, had been delayed as a result of the Greek Cypriot Member’s stance.

Tatar said all obstacles on the matter had now been overcome through consultations conducted via the UN and that they had received assurances that the relevant excavation work will commence on July 24, 2023.

President Tatar stated that he had expressed his readiness for a joint visit to the CMP’s anthropology lab in the UN buffer zone with the Greek Cypriot leader Christodoulides immediately after the commencement of the excavation works at the Atlılar mass grave.

The president expressed in the letter that during the mentioned visit, they could express their support for the CMP’s productive and highly significant humanitarian work, and after the visit, it would be beneficial to issue a joint written statement reflecting this support.

President Tatar also added that his Special Representative was currently working on the joint statement with the Greek Cypriot negotiator and expressed his expectation that they will be able to conduct this visit with the Greek Cypriot leader by the end of July.