“It is unacceptable for the ‘Republic of Cyprus’ to participate in the five-party conference”

Former negotiators Ergün Olgun and Osman Ertuğ have stated that they perceive the Greek Cypriot side’s insistence on attending the Cyprus conference as the so-called Republic of Cyprus as a precondition attempted at legitimizing the defunct Cyprus Republic. They also stated that the Turkish Cypriot side should stand up against this issue and should not accept it.

The two former negotiators who issued a written statement evaluating the upcoming Geneva summit, claimed that the Turkish Cypriot side should not attend the talks in Geneva should the United Nations attempt to invite the Greek Cypriot side as ‘the Republic of Cyprus’ or if the Greek Cypriot side carry out a fait accompli on the issue.

They stated that should such an attempt be made, the Turkish Cypriot side should react in the strongest way.

In their joint statement, they pointed out that the announcement made by the UN regarding the conference on Cyprus set to take place in Geneva next month was explicitly clear as who would be taking part. Olgun and Ertuğ said that “no one apart from the two sides in Cyprus and the three guarantor powers Turkey, Greece and the UK will be sitting at the table”.

The two former negotiators stated that it was unnecessary for other actors to be present at the conference on Cyprus which will be held within the framework of the Good Offices Mission of the UN Secretary General in a format similar to the Bürgenstock meetings in 2004.

“It is our firm belief that the participation of actors, other than those stated, will only serve as an obstacle to achieve results from the summit” the joint statement read.