Farewell visit to President Ersin Tatar by British High Commissioner Stephen Lillie
President Ersin Tatar: "Sustainable peace and stability in Cyprus and the region can be reached with the acceptance of sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Cypriot People which is our inherent right.”
President Ersin Tatar received British High Commissioner (BHC) Stephen Lillie, who visited the Presidency in Lefkoşa to bid farewell following the completion of his term in office.
President Tatar stated that the position of the Turkish Cypriot Side with regards to the Cyprus issue is one that is based on sustainable peace and a forward-looking structured cooperative relationship between the two Sides.
Explaining that geopolitical relations between countries do not remain idle over the years, the President added that the UK, one of the Guarantor powers, was a member of the European Union when Mr Lillie came to serve on the island of Cyprus but that the UK is no longer a member of the bloc.
The President explained that following Brexit, there was an expectation from the Turkish Cypriot Side for the UK to be able to take a more even-handed and equitable approach in the equal treatment of both Sides in Cyprus, including taking effective steps to end the isolation and fulfilling the promises made to the Turkish Cypriot Side in terms of having direct trade and direct flights.
With regards to the Cyprus issue, President Tatar reaffirmed the position of the Turkish Cypriot Side that negotiations on the basis of a federal settlement have been exhausted due to the continuous rejections by the Greek Cypriot Side to share power and prosperity with the Turkish Cypriot co-owners of the island, on the basis of equality.
President Tatar wished Mr Lillie success in his future career.