President Ersin Tatar stated that Turkey’s proposal for a quintet meeting is the last chance to reach an agreement in Cyprus.
Paying his first overseas official visit to Turkey after taking over his duty, President Tatar spoke to the press following his meeting with the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
In his speech, President Tatar said “Turkey's five party conference proposal is the last chance for an agreement on Cyprus". Underlining that the proposal of convening a conference to be attended by the TRNC to discuss the developments in the Eastern Mediterranean is extremely realistic and constructive, President Tatar said, "We do not have our eye on anyone, but we will never accept the violation of the rights and laws of our people and our nation”.
Pointing out that a solution can be achieved with the cooperation of two states that already exist in Cyprus instead of a federation, President Ersin Tatar said, "The tale of the Federation continues to be a fairy tale. Basically, when we look at the facts, the Greek Cypriot people do not believe in a federation but it is a customary process. It is a new time for politics, and that is politics based on facts. As I have stated, sovereign politics is the cooperation of two states that live side by side, on the basis of equality, and that already exists."
Erdoğan : “It must be understood that no result can be achieved under the current parameters following a negotiation process that has lasted more than half a century”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke at a joint press conference with TRNC President Ersin Tatar at the Presidential Complex and he said that he was glad to host Tatar who has made his first official visit to Turkey.
Indicating that they exchanged views on the latest developments in the Eastern Mediterranean and the opening in Varosha, Erdoğan made the following evaluations:
"As we protect our rights in our own continental shelf in the Eastern Mediterranean, we also defend the legitimate rights and interests of the Turkish Cypriot people, who are the common joint owners of the island. We have shown our determination in this direction to both friend and enemy at every stage. The reason for the current situation in the Eastern Mediterranean is the Greek-Greek Cypriot duo who have not listened to our warnings and ignored our constructive suggestions since 2003. The international energy companies, whose appetite has swelled due to the hydrocarbon resources in this region, and the forces behind them, have seen no harm in being a part of this game. However, this game is now broken. As we have said from the very beginning there is no chance of success and there never will be a chance for an initiative which will not take into account Turkey in the region and the Turkish Cypriots."
