Tatar: ‘Official negotiations can only be started based on two states with sovereign equality’

President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Ersin Tatar pointed out that there had been no progress for over 50 years in talks of a federation in the Cyprus negotiations and said that the negotiations regarding a federation had been exhausted. In addition, he said that if a negotiation process will commence following the 5+1 informal meeting it can only be started based on the ground of a solution where two states with equal sovereignty will live side by side in cooperation.

TRNC President Ersin Tatar stressed that the preparations for the 5+1 informal meeting is continuing and it is expected to take place in late February or early March, depending on the situation of the coronavirus pandemic.

President Ersin Tatar received the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative in Cyprus Elizabeth Spehar yesterday (13^th January). Following the meeting President Tatar said that the UN report and its details were discussed at the meeting and they expressed their expectations and stance about the 5+1 conference. Expressing that the UN, the Greek Cypriot side and the guarantor countries were working on this issue, Tatar added that they confirmed that they will participate in this meeting as the Turkish Cypriot side.

Tatar said: “Our messages and likewise messages of Turkey are crystal clear. Our interlocutor in the 5+1 conference is the UN. The UN participates in these meetings within the framework of goodwill missions. If technical information is requested, this can be requested from the EU, but the EU is not a party to these meetings and it should not be in any event.”