There is no question of recognition of the Republic of Cyprus by Turkey, Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar told the illegal TAK agency, reiterating the strategy of two separate states and peoples on the island. He said that since his election he had said that federation is no longer discussed and that in the dialogue they expect discussion of two separate states and their own structure.
Tatar said that the Security Council must take a decision and recognize the sovereign equality and international status of the TCs. He claimed that the TCs were driven out of the republic by force of arms in the 1960s and that everyone knows the intentions of the E/Cs and Greece.
He spoke of great divergences in the way the two communities perceive the concept of federation and that the E/Cs want a unitary state, the abolition of Turkey's guarantees and zero army.
The T/C leader said the war in Ukraine has shocked the international community but proves that history repeats itself and that no one can guarantee that a war in Cyprus like in 1974 will not be repeated. He reiterated that an agreement in Cyprus can only be reached on the basis of two separate states living side by side.
He also said that the proposals at the informal five-party meeting in April 2021 are the official strategy of the Tdcb and Turkey and that there will be no step backwards.
On the Mavroyiannis' resignation, he said he might have resigned because he did not want to be exploited in the discussions that might take place between Nicos Anastasiades and other candidates for the presidential elections. He also said that his election to the UN legal committee, a position he described as important, may have played a role. He even said that the fact that he might be proposed by AKEL as a presidential candidate, which he (Tatar) has heard said, may have played a role.
He said that T/C proposals are not accepted and that at the recent event on gender equality he told Nicos Anastasiades that they should not discuss MOUs. He said that the opening of Tympos and Famagusta port under the UN brings the issue under the jurisdiction of the RoC and that he recognised that it is not easy to abandon the federation. He also added that the Tdvk is rooted in the international community and there will be no deviation from this.
Asked to comment on a statement by UN Special Representative Colin Stewart on financial assistance to the TCs, Tatar said the UN is trying to find common ground in good faith to carry out its tasks. He added that if there is an agreement, then the first thing to reduce is economic inequality.
On energy, he said the only option for Cyprus is to join the rest of Europe through Turkey and that would be the real confidence-building measure.
Source: CNA
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