Tatar: “There can be no significant development in the Cyprus issue until common ground is found”

President Ersin Tatar made assessments to the press following his meeting with the Deputy Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas in the United Nations Department of Political and Peace building Affairs, Miroslav Jenča.

In his statement, Tatar said that Jenca’s visit, before the 78th UN General Assembly in New York in September, was aimed at finding out whether common ground exists between the two sides for formal negotiations. Regarding the construction work going on in the Pile-Yiğitler road, another subject that was discussed,   Tatar stressed that he explained to Jenča that the matter was a humanitarian one and should therefore be treated in this context.

Tatar noted that roads, constructions, universities, shopping centres, etc., which were built by the Greek Cypriot side in the Buffer Zone were not interfered with by UNFICYP. In addition to this, nearly 300 concrete military positions were constructed along the Buffer Zone as well as 12 kilometres of barbed-wire fences.

The President also stated that the attitude of the United Nations Peacekeeping Forces in these areas towards the Turkish Cypriot side, particularly at the start of the construction of the Pile-Yiğitler Road is totally unacceptable;  UNFICYP must approach the two sides impartially and maintain an equal distance, in the same manner as  within the Mission of Good Offices.

President Tatar further stated that the roadwork should continue, adding that Jenca also looked favourably upon this, and expressed the hope that this issue would be resolved at the earliest possible time.