President Tatar: “We maintain the two-state policy”

President Ersin Tatar, speaking ahead of the informal 5+1 format meeting scheduled for July 16-17 in New York, criticized Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides for his uncompromising stance on opening new crossing points, making evaluations

Stressing that recent problems originating from South Cyprus at the Metehan crossing point underscore the importance of their insistence on opening the Haspolat gate, President Tatar stated that he would raise the issue of opening new crossing points at Haspolat and Akıncılar during the New York meeting.

Highlighting that the significance of the upcoming meeting, Tatar expressed that all discussions are approached with a focus on two-state cooperation. However, he stressed that a negotiation table can only be established if common ground is found, adding that maintaining constructive relations between the two sides is crucial.

Reaffirming that they will continue to uphold the two-state policy, supported by Türkiye, President Tatar underlined that official negotiation processes cannot commence without the acceptance of sovereign equality and equal international status.

He expressed that they basically demanded direct flight, direct trade, direct contact along with the ending of isolations, and stated that the United Nations attempted to implement these but the Greek Cypriot side did not accept them.

President Tatar also noted that Holguin had acknowledged the absence of common ground for federation talks and emphasized that the New York meeting would focused on the cooperation.