Prime Minister Ünal Üstel has emphasized that nearly 50 years of negotiations have demonstrated the Greek Cypriot side’s unwillingness to reach a federal agreement.

Instead, he stated, the Greek Cypriot leadership views federation not as an end goal but as a tool to serve its own interests.

Üstel underscored that continuing negotiations under this outdated framework serves only to keep the Turkish Cypriot people tied to the table while obstructing the TRNC’s development.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Prime Minister Ünal Üstel welcomed the initiatives agreed upon by the two sides in Geneva as positive, but added that these were insufficient.

He called on the international community to honor its commitments to the Turkish Cypriot people by lifting all humanitarian, trade, political, social, and sports embargoes imposed on the TRNC.

Summing up the Geneva talks, Üstel described them as a turning point in strengthening the TRNC’s vision for sovereign equality and launching a new process based on inter-state cooperation.

“It is time to move beyond the failures of the past 50 years. Instead of pursuing unrealistic and exhausted ideas, we must embrace new solutions that reflect today’s realities,” he said.

Üstel expressed full confidence in President Ersin Tatar, Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and the entire Turkish delegation for their firm stance in defending the rights and interests of the Turkish Cypriot people.

He also extended his deepest gratitude to Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz for their unwavering support for the TRNC’s new solution vision.

Looking ahead to the next informal talks scheduled for July, Üstel affirmed the TRNC’s continued commitment to fostering a culture of cooperation between the two communities and supporting all sincere efforts to enhance dialogue and mutual trust.