Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar meets with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres today in New York, ahead of tomorrow’s trilateral summit on the Cyprus issue with Cyprus President Nicos Christodoulides. However, the climate between the two sides remains highly tense, as evidenced by the statements of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Cyprus President Nicos Christodoulides at the UN General Assembly, while Ersin Tatar added fuel to the fire with his interview published yesterday, Thursday, in the Turkish Anadolu agency.
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Cyprus President Nicos Christodoulides, speaking from the podium of the UN General Assembly, dismantled Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s speech and his references to the Republic of Cyprus, accusing him of “selective sensitivity and hypocrisy to the maximum degree“. The Cypriot President rejected Turkish positions on two states on the island, calling on the Turkish President “to end the occupation through negotiations for a comprehensive solution that will reunite Cyprus in a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality. Always in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions, EU values and principles of law“.
Inflammatory Tatar interview ahead of Cyprus trilateral talks
Hours later and before his scheduled meeting with Nicos Christodoulides in New York under the auspices of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Ersin Tatar gave an interview to the Turkish Anadolu agency, where he clarified that all negotiations he conducts regarding Cyprus are carried out in full consultation with Turkey, rejecting the much-discussed “federation” model, estimating that it is a strategy by the Greek Cypriot side to remove Turkish troops from the island and end Turkey’s guarantor role.
Mr. Tatar also referred to Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s speech at the UN General Assembly, who had called on the international community “to end the unjust isolation imposed on Turkish Cypriots for half a century“. The Turkish Cypriot leader referred to the pseudo-state’s ties with Turkey, saying: “The Turkish Cypriot people have fought for their sovereignty. We have the right to self-determination and strong ties with Turkey. Any attempt to exclude Turkey and push us into forced cooperation with Greek Cypriots, turning it into a Greek island, will certainly be rejected“, he added.
Commenting on Cyprus’s recent purchase of air defense systems from Israel, Ersin Tatar argued that Mr. Christodoulides entered into processes beyond his capabilities, in an attempt to enhance his international influence, saying characteristically: “Even the Greek Cypriot people are disturbed by the dangerous game being played“, adding that this move has turned the southern part of Cyprus into a much more dangerous area.
Tatar noted in the same interview that he will convey his thoughts and political position in today’s meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, emphasizing that he will never abandon the two-state solution model for Cyprus.
