President Tatar speaks at the Hudson Institute in USA
5 April, 2024Working group for Azerbaijan-TRNC to be established
15 April, 2024In his statement to the British Telegraph newspaper, President Ersin Tatar stated that a little flare-up could spark a conflict similar to those in Gaza and Ukraine.
President Tatar was responding to questions from The Telegraph Nick Squires at the Presidency ahead of his meeting with United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in the USA.
The President also stated that the only option now is a two-state solution.
Stating that a mistake or misunderstanding such as the shooting of a Turkish soldier on the Green Line would provoke “a bomb” between the two populations, Tatar said: “Everybody should be calm and reasonable. Turkish Cypriots are not alone – we have got 85 million Turks behind us and they are only 40 miles away”.
Tatar continued: “All those opportunities have been exhausted. How can you unite an island like this after so many years? You cannot possibly unite Cyprus. You have to face the facts and accept reality. Since 1974 we have had two states, two regions, two sovereign powers in Cyprus living side by side, coexisting. The only way forward is a two-state solution.”