U.N. official reiterates commitment to Cyprus problem solution after meeting Christodoulides, Tatar

The UN Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo who is in Cyprus as part of the UN’s efforts to seek common ground for the restart of negotiations in Cyprus visited the leaders of the divided island on Wednesday.

U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peace building Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo, reiterated on Wednesday the commitment of the U.N. Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, towards a solution to the Cyprus problem.

In a short statement after meeting Cyprus President Christodoulides at the Presidential Palace in Nicosia, on Wednesday, DiCarlo said that she wished the newly-elected leader success during his term.

“We discussed at length the Cyprus issue and we just want to reiterate the commitment of the Secretary–General to supporting a resolution of the Cyprus issue,” she added.

After the meeting with President Christodoulides, DiCarlo met with TRNC president, Ersin Tatar, “to discuss further a way forward.”

DiCarlo was accompanied by the UN Special Representative in Cyprus and UNFICYP chief Colin Stewart.

Also present at the meeting was the President’s Special Representative Ergün Olgun and other political advisors.

Making a statement to the press after the meetings, Tatar said that they discussed many issues with Mario Nava, Director General for Structural Reform Support at the European Commission, and that the Cooperation Center, which was built in Nova'ya Kormacit, with the permission of the TRNC authorities, EU financing and the UN Development Programme. He noted that they expressed their discomfort about the fact that no official from the TRNC was invited to the opening to be held on March 18.

Tatar stated that the top coordination committee made an assessment on this issue in the past days, that the Prime Minister brought the issue to the agenda in the Council of Ministers, and that they condemned this situation by sending letters to the EU. Stating that they conveyed their sensitivities about the issue to Nova today, Tatar stated that Nova confirmed that the relevant mayor and a deputy were invited to the opening.

Tatar said, "It is not possible for us to leave our authority to the initiative of others in the TRNC, we are the official authority in the TRNC, we informed them that some openings and procedures were made with the approval and confirmation of the TRNC authorities, and I think they have shown understanding."

Stating that the TRNC supports and attaches importance to cooperation in committees established on different issues such as irregular migration, health, economy, criminal incidents and earthquakes, Tatar emphasized that the TRNC authorities should be taken into account in these studies, adding that they conveyed their sensitivities to Nova to convey to Brussels. .

-The subject of natural resources…
Stating that they discussed the natural resources around the island with Nova, President Tatar stated that they conveyed their views to Nova that if serious steps are to be taken in the future, committees should be formed with the support of Turkey and TRNC authorities should be in these committees.

-Interview with DiCarlo
Regarding the meeting they had with Rosemary DiCarlo, the UN Secretary General's Assistant for Political Affairs and Peacebuilding, Tatar noted that Di Carlo conveyed the greetings of the UN Secretary General and his condolences for the earthquake.

Noting that DiCarlo told them that he was doing research on whether a new process could begin with the election of the new Greek Cypriot President, Tatar said:

“We told him again that we look at the Cyprus issue, its past, its essence and the dialogue and technical committee work positively at the point we are in. However, we conveyed to him in detail that our new policy, which we put forward at the 5+1 meeting held in Geneva, to move on to official negotiations, is valid, and that we can enter into official negotiations with the recognition of our sovereign equality and equal international status.”

Noting that there is an understanding in the EU that if there will be an agreement in Cyprus, the Turkish Cypriots can be integrated into the “Republic of Cyprus” within the EU, Tatar said that they will never accept this; stated that they told all these opinions to DiCarlo.

Noting that if there will be a meeting between the President of the Greek Cypriot Administration Christodoulis and the UN Secretary General Guterres in the future, Tatar said that he will also request a meeting with the UN Secretary General, adding that it is unfair for the Turkish Cypriots that Christodoulis held talks with many EU officials and heads of state of EU countries, He stated that it creates inequality and that this inequality is the biggest obstacle to the solution of the Cyprus problem. Tatar explained that they conveyed these views to Di Carlo with all the details.

"The Cyprus issue is also a regional issue"
Stating that the Cyprus issue is also a regional issue, Tatar said that Turkey's approval as a guarantor country is also important for the continuation of stability and peace in the Eastern Mediterranean, and on the other hand, they will never accept the EU's becoming a party to the Cyprus issue. said he forwarded it to both Nova and Di Carlo.

When asked "why the UN insisted on the collapsed plans and how it was conveyed to the Turkish Cypriot authorities", Tatar said that the General Secretariat was different, that it tried to maintain equality, but that the main problem was the Security Council resolutions that included a "bipartite bilateral federation".