President Ersin Tatar and his delegation returned back to the TRNC following intensive contacts with the UK Parliamentarians and media officials, as well as members of the Turkish Cypriot civil and youth groups.

The President, whose convoy had been attacked by Greek-Greek Cypriot protestors in London, was given a hero’s welcome by jubilant crowds who applauded the President and held flags and placards in support, as he walked out of the VIP building at Ercan airport. 
President Tatar, holding a press conference at the airport, expressed his gratitude to the crowd for their support.

President Tatar stated: “I will continue the policy for seeking justice, freedom, and the reaffirmation of the sovereign equality and equal international status of our State. No protest or attempt to silence us, to stop us from meeting Parliamentarians of other countries, to stop us from meeting prominent media members and taking part in conferences at important universities in other parts of the world will hinder us.”
Stating that the UK visit “was planned long in advance,” the President evaluated his London visit, stating: “The visit was very productive and beneficial. I met with numerous British Parliamentarians, prominent members of the UK media, Turkish Cypriot representatives and civil organisations and youth groups. I also participated at an important conference at King’s College London (KCL), on invitation of the KCL Turkish Society.”

President Tatar stated that as his convoy approached the entrance to KCL, there were a group of Greek-Greek Cypriot students holding the flags of Greece who were chanting ugly slogans.  “Despite their efforts to prevent me from entering the premises, we were eventually driven in and I delivered my address at the conference.
“They tried to prevent us from making our voices heard,” the President said. “We condemn this ugly show that has been staged in this day and age, at one of London’s most important universities, and their attempts to deny our right to be heard. They cannot tolerate our sovereign equality, our existence, our rights, our red lines. Such is the level of animosity they have towards us.”

President Tatar stated that the Turkish Cypriot people are a free, independent and democratic people, that  they have the right to determine their own destiny, and that such actions cannot prevent them from pursuing  their just cause.

President Tatar also responded to some criticism made against him by the opposition for his visit to London,  stating: “You see, nothing happens by sitting at your desk in Lefkoşa. We need to be proactive, we need to be persistent in our contacts, and to explain our just cause and new policy. Making the appointments needed to hold such contacts for us is not easy and a lot of hard work and planning went into it. I had very positive meetings with different people in the UK.”

President Tatar also stated that he had received many wishes of condolences from all the people he met, who had expressed sorrow for the lives lost as a result of the devastating earthquakes that occurred in Türkiye in February.

President Tatar also welcomed Vice President of the Republic of Türkiye, Fuat Oktay, to the TRNC -- who he said was currently visiting Gazimağusa.

President Tatar saluted the crowds who came to the airport to express their solidarity and support to the President following the Greek-Greek Cypriot assault on the convoy of the President.

Welcoming the President at Ercan airport were First Lady Sibel Tatar,  Parliamentary Speaker Zorlu Töre, Democrat Party leader and Deputy Prime Minister Fikri Ataoğlu, other MP’s, officials and members of the public.