President Ersin Tatar met with the rectors and deputy rectors of the universities in TRNC as part of preparations for the five-plus-UN informal meeting that will be held in Geneva, Switzerland, on April 27-29.

At the meeting held at the Office of Audit building in Lefkoşa, President Tatar was accompanied by the Special Representative of the President, Ergün Olgun, and Member of Parliament Oğuzhan Hasipoğlu from the negotiations team. Other members of the negotiation team were also present at the meeting. 

In his address at the start of the meeting, President Tatar explained the vision of the Turkish Cypriot side for sustainable settlement and cooperation based on sovereign equality with equal international status. Topics discussed were the views and observations of the rectors and deputy rectors about the coming process and how they can contribute.  

President Tatar said the Cyprus issue preserved its place in the agenda for many years, adding that with the five-plus-UN informal meeting to be held in Geneva at the end of April, the stance of the Turkish side is being closely monitored by the international community. 

President Tatar said: 

“We will be attending a very important meeting being closely observed by the international community.   What new ideas are we going to take to the meeting and where will these new ideas take us . . .because the issue is not only limited to Cyprus.  The Cyprus issue extends well beyond Cyprus and is a regional issue, a national issue, and at the same time is a matter which attracts the interest of the most powerful countries in the world."

President Tatar pointed out that representatives from different countries and the EU have been in contact with us prior to the five-plus-UN informal meeting,  in order to obtain information about the stance of the Turkish Cypriot side, adding: 

“Representatives from the EU and from different countries are visiting us daily.  They are in close contact with us in order to learn what we are thinking and because Cyprus is a member of the EU, they consider themselves indirectly as proprietors.  I and members of my team remind them that despite the Turkish Cypriot people voting  ‘Yes’ to the Annan plan in the separately held simultaneous referenda, the constitution of the Republic of Cyprus clearly states that it is not legally possible for Cyprus to become a member of a block of which both Turkey and Greece are not members.  Furthermore, the dispute in Cyprus is continuing.   However, even if there was an agreement in Cyprus, if Turkey was not a member state in the EU, which she is not, then Turkey should have been admitted as a member.   All these issues have been brushed under the carpet and ignored. But when we raise these matters and they find themselves in a tight corner, they say this is not a legal matter, it is a political issue.”


Stating that it is a political decision by the EU to make Cyprus a member, the President expressed that the attitude the EU is exhibiting towards the Turkish Cypriots is that ‘if you are not included . . . you will remain isolated and continue to be ousted’.   



“THE RESISTANCE OF TURKISH CYPRIOTS HAS BEEN WITH THE SUPPORT OF MOTHERLAND TURKEY”

Stating that at the core of the Cyprus issue lies “a struggle for sovereignty,” President Tatar recalled that in the years of 1955-60 and 1974, the “Turkish Cypriot people faced several atrocities aimed at wiping out their existence from the island which was witnessed by the whole world. . .Turkish Cypriots suffered genocide and oppression, however,  the resistance of Turkish Cypriots has been with the support of motherland Turkey.” 

President Tatar pointed out that there have been several accusations of so-called lawlessness to the Turkish Cypriot side and reiterated that under the provisions of the 1960 Treaties, Turkey exercised her guarantor rights and intervened in Cyprus after the Greek coup d’etat in 1974.  

“Following the Exchange of Population agreement signed in Vienna in 1975, people from both sides transferred to their own regions, Greek Cypriots moved to the South and we moved to the North. Since then, until now, we have administered, cherished and kept alive our own state and we have yet again reinforced our right of self-determination,” the President said.   He added that under international conventions, all the peoples have the right to determine their own future, adding that since the Annan Plan separate referenda of 2004 and subsequent processes, Turkish Cypriots’ right of self-determination has been strengthened.” 

  

President Tatar said that following the natural gas resources discovered in the eastern Mediterranean, the region has gained strategic importance, adding: “Everybody is endeavouring to claim rights, jurisdiction and take a position here.. nobody can expect the Republic of Turkey to just say ‘cheerio’ and withdraw from the area.”

President Tatar said that the Cyprus issue is the mutual cause of the Turkish Cypriot people and Turkey and stated: 

“We have from the past to the present day been pursuing this mutual cause together with Turkey and we are in complete collaboration on the matter of bringing to the negotiation table or to the meeting our new ideas based on the sovereign equality of two States that coexist side-by-side in a cooperative relationship. The support of the Republic of Turkey of our vision and policy gives us strength. 

Republic of Turkey is our motherland as well as being a guarantor country and the most powerful and leading country of the region which is only 40 miles away from Cyprus. Where is Britain? Britain is a continent away and yet has two bases here.  Greece is 600 miles away, whilst Turkey is a stone throw away from here.  Therefore all of these are very important criterias in maintaining the regional balance.  It is our duty to put all these arguments forward at the table with full explanations and strengthen our cause.”


“OUR POLICY IS FOR THE TURKISH CYPRIOT PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO EXIST WITH INDEPENDENCE AND FREEDOM”

President Tatar asked university officials to contribute to the preparations of the negotiating team, adding: “In a national cause such as this, we want views and considerations from you and your academicians and we definitely would like your contributions.  Our policy is for the Turkish Cypriots to continue to exist with their independence and freedom.”   

In criticism of the European Union, President Tatar stated: “During our conversations, EU diplomats tell us that they recognise the ‘Republic of Cyprus’ which is a member of the UN and EU.  Therefore, if [Turkish Cypriots] want to reap certain economic benefits, we must integrate with the ‘Republic of Cyprus’ and become patched onto it . . . and they say we can live in this country like this.  This is a national cause for which there has been a struggle for years.  What is essential for us is the continuation of our people's existence in freedom, independence and security.  These are the reasons our sovereignty is very important.  There are two separate peoples and two sovereign entities in Cyprus and therefore, for negotiations to be carried out in a serious manner, it is necessary for our sovereignty to be acknowledged and for us to be internationally accepted as such.  For this reason, the policy we are putting forward is, two States coexisting side-by-side with sovereign equality and furthermore, if there are to be negotiations, our equal status in the international arena should also be catered for.”


President Tatar reiterated that to negotiate for a settlement on the basis of a federation will have no benefits, adding: “Knowing this, there is no point in negotiating for another 50 years. Therefore, with the full support of Turkey, we have adopted a new policy and until now we have been successful in relaying this policy to the international community and explaining what our aim is.”





“WE SHALL CONTINUE TO HAVE OUR VOICE HEARD EVERYWHERE FOR OUR SOVEREIGNTY TO BE ACCEPTED”

Indicating that the issue of Cyprus is a complex issue, President Tatar said: “It cannot be resolved in three months like some people claimed.  When former President, Mehmet Ali Talat became the President, his opposite was AKEL leader, Demetris Christofias. They were comrades for many years.  Mr Tatar believed that he would resolve the Cyprus issue quickly, but what happened? They could not resolve it.  Former President, Mustafa Akinci also took a similar position and completed his term without a resolution. Despite making what he calls ‘flexibility’ but what we call concessions, Mr Akinci did not make any gains at the negotiations.  When he became the president, he had said that he could resolve the issues in three-to-four months.  However, the other side still insist on the continuation of Republic of Cyprus in their statements.  Therefore, following the evaluations we undertook with Turkey, there really is no benefit in wasting another 50 years.”

President Tatar concluded:  “The process will not be easy, there is a strong lobby on the other side, however, nobody can deny that Turkish Cypriots are right. There are two different peoples in this country, Turks and Greeks and by the equitable sharing of resources, justice will prevail.  This is a struggle of sovereignty and we will have our voice heard everywhere in order for our sovereignty to be accepted”.