Tatar: “We do not have the necessary conditions for the start of formal negotiations”

President Ersin Tatar received the Special Representative of the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General in Cyprus and Head of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) Colin Stewart on Friday (10/03/2023).

President Ersin Tatar said in his meeting with Colin Stewart: “Our position is clear and we do not have the necessary conditions for the start of formal negotiations. We put forward our new policy two years ago at the Geneva meetings, and this new policy is being pursued with the full support of the Republic of Türkiye. We have reemphasized today that official negotiations can commence only in the case of the acceptance of sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Cypriot people.

Noting that the rearmament of the Greek Cypriots and the increase of tension in the Eastern Mediterranean does not benefit anyone, Tatar said that we want peace, stability, and cooperation.