There is an obstacle to the appointment of a Special Envoy, said Ersin Tatar, who reiterated to Colin Stewart his position in favour of appointing a Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary General, with the powers that Jane Hall Lute had. He supported the opening of a new roadblock in Nicosia, at the Famagusta Gate.
In statements to the T/C "news agency" after his one-hour meeting with the UN Secretary General's Special Representative in Cyprus, the T/C leader said he told the Canadian diplomat that in case the two sovereigns are accepted, equal states and equal international status, the talks can resume and that there is no question of the TC side giving up or backing down from this position.
Tatar said Mr. Stewart is aware of the difficulties that exist and added that the UNSC expects the two sides to intensify work in the "bilateral" as he said - (technical) committees, to increase cooperation between the "two peoples" in a way that is in the common interest of all and to produce a set of joint projects that will be for the benefit and good of both the TCs and the TCs. "That is how we see it too," he said."
Tatar said that the committees on health, cultural heritage, gender equality and other areas are working. "We are sharing some of our views and thoughts with them to increase density and improve trade between the two sides. In addition, I also told him that if an additional gate (roadblock) is opened in Nicosia, to open the Famagusta Gate, it would be good."
Ersin Tatar said he told Colin Stewart that the Cyprus problem is an issue that has been going on for 60 years and it is not possible to find a solution soon, saying that there is no question of him backing away from the new vision, the new policy he set out in Geneva last April, based on sovereign equality and the international status of the TCs. "This new stance is clear with the support of the Republic of Turkey," he added."
Tatar told Mr. Stewart, according to his statements, that the TC side is proceeding with an opening in Varosha through the "real estate committee" with respect to property rights and in a legally appropriate manner.
Asked by the reporter of the T/C "news agency" about his report in Phileleftheros about the British High Commissioner inviting him and President Anastasiades to London, Tatar said that "in order to start formal negotiations our position is clear, our sovereign equality and our equal international status must be accepted. Until then, we can certainly meet in informal, social meetings. I have no problem with that."
He cited as an example the meeting he had with the President of the Republic at the UN reception before the New Year. "Before then we met and talked in Brussels, Geneva, New York. In various discussions with the British, we agreed to meet in London once. However, this does not mean for us that formal negotiations are beginning. I want to underline this once again, he said.
How natural, Ersin Tatar concluded, that on such a small island the leaders of two separate "peoples" should meet socially from time to time.
Source: CNA
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