Tatar: “It is unacceptable that the UN does not have an (status of forces) agreement with the Turkish Cypriot side”

TRNC President Ersin Tatar has received the United Nations (UN) Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix, who has arrived in the island yesterday in order to carry out contacts.

President Tatar has given a statement to the press after the one-hour meeting he had with Lacroix.

Tatar stated that he told Lacroix that there are two States in Cyprus and that he conveyed our demand to sign a memorandum of understanding with the TRNC as well if they are going to continue their activities here.

Tatar noted that they had a positive meeting in which various issues were discussed with Lacroix and added that firstly, the war and violence in Palestine, the attitude of the United Nations on this issue and the sorrow of the Turkish Cypriot people regarding this issue were discussed.

Pointing out that similar events were experienced in Cyprus by the Turkish Cypriots, President Tatar reminded that the realistic settlement is a two-State solution and said that it is time for all concerned third parties to consider such a settlement seriously.

Tatar said “Today we have expressed clearly to him that our sovereign equality and equal international status must be recognised in order for official negotiations to begin”.

In addition, stating that he also shared our sensitivities about the need to obtain the approval of the Turkish Cypriot side regarding who will be the Commander of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus, which has been vacant for 4 months, President Tatar said that he had received a positive feedback on this issue as well.

Stating that the  Turkish Cypriot position on the issue of the UN Personal Envoy, which is on the agenda, is clear and that he had maintained our  position of  two years ago, Tatar reminded that our demand is for a “personal envoy” who will be impartial, have limited authority and  will be appointed for a limited period of time.

Tatar noted that the Turkish Cypriot side is firmly against any proposed envoy to be answerable to the Security Council. Hence, our insistence on “personal” rather than a “special” envoy. The task of such an envoy would be to explore whether or not common ground exists between the two sides for the start of formal negotiations.