No going back on new two-state policy on the Cyprus issue - Tatar

TRNC President Ersin Tatar, on Monday said that there will be no going back from the new two-state policy on the Cyprus issue.

He said that the time had come for the opposition to see and accept this as the old solution model had no chance of any success.

Tatar was responding to criticisms directed against him during the debate in parliament concerning the Presidency’s budget.

In a statement to the TAK news agency on Monday, President Ersin Tatar blasted the opposition for what he said were unjust criticisms directed against him, particularly on the Cyprus issue.

Tatar said that he was open and clear about supporting a two-state solution in Cyprus.

He added that he was pursuing such a goal in cooperation with Türkiye following his election as president.

Tatar also pointed out that the call made by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the UN General Assembly for the recognition of the TRNC and the admission of the TRNC to the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS) was proof that the new policy on Cyprus was being carried out in success.

He said that the opposition failed to touch upon on any of these developments or how the Greek Cypriot side had repeatedly disappointed the Turkish Cypriot side at the negotiating table.

The president also hit back on criticisms concerning the Maraş initiative, stating that handing control of the fenced-off town to the UN would mean removing the area from the TRNC’s sovereign territory and losing the town.

Evaluating the remarks made by the Greek Cypriot leadership, President Ersin Tatar said that the reference made to reunification during these remarks was proof of the Greek Cypriot side’s mentality that made it impossible to reach a settlement.

“The term ‘reunification’ is one which is way behind a federal settlement. The Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades is frequently using this term. This is nothing more than an expression of the desire to return to pre-1974 conditions,” he said.

BRTK