Tatar Departs for U.S.: 'No Common Ground on Cyprus Issue' (Updated)

President Ersin Tatar, speaking at a press conference at Ercan Airport, provided information about his upcoming meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in the USA. Tatar stated, "We requested this meeting." President Ersin Tatar emphasized that negotiations in Cyprus could begin with the confirmation of sovereign equality and equal international status, and at the end of the process, an agreement could be reached through cooperation between the two states. Tatar said, "This is our policy, it is clear and unequivocal."

Regarding his visit to the USA, Tatar highlighted that the perception operations of the Greek Cypriot side do not reflect reality, saying, "We requested this meeting." President Tatar departed from the island to go to the United States (USA) for his meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday. Before his meeting with Guterres in New York, Tatar will also have a series of meetings in Washington. President Tatar was bid farewell by Speaker of the Assembly Zorlu Töre, Deputy Commander of the Security Forces Brigadier General Kadir Bayraklı, and other officials. President Tatar is accompanied by his Special Representative Güneş Onar during his visit.

TATAR: "WE REQUESTED THIS MEETING"

Speaking at a press conference at Ercan Airport, Tatar said he would first go to Washington via Istanbul and then go to New York for a meeting with UN Secretary-General Guterres on Friday after a series of contacts there tomorrow.

"We requested this meeting," said Tatar, stating that the President of the Greek Cypriot Administration, Nikos Hristodulidis, held a meeting with the UN Secretary-General on Cyprus at the European Union Heads of State meeting in Brussels. Tatar explained that they were initially given an appointment for a meeting in Brussels but could not attend the meeting in a short time. President Tatar said that after insisting on their meeting request, they were given an appointment for Friday, April 5.

Reiterating that they will not enter into a negotiation process without confirming sovereign equality and equal international status, President Tatar stated that there is a general consensus that there has been no common ground in the negotiations conducted over the past three years.

Tatar emphasized that they will not resume negotiations from where they left off at Crans Montana, underlining that they insisted that a new process should be initiated instead of appointing a representative from where it was left off at Crans Montana due to some pressures. Tatar said they refused the appointment of a Special Representative, and ultimately reached an agreement on the appointment of a Personal Representative.

Referring to the fact that UN Secretary-General's Personal Representative for Cyprus, Maria Angela Holguin Cuellar, was appointed for a six-month period, Tatar said, "Our approval was subject to this." Tatar mentioned that Cuellar would complete her third month in April and is currently in Washington conducting talks. Tatar indicated that the Personal Representative would visit the parties for the third time in April.

"GREEK CYPRIOT SIDE'S PERCEPTION OPERATIONS DO NOT REFLECT REALITY"

Regarding the visit to the USA, Tatar emphasized that the perception operations of the Greek Cypriot side, suggesting that negotiations would start if Hristodulidis accepted certain proposals, do not reflect reality, reiterating that the meeting request came from them.

"THERE HAS BEEN NO COMMON GROUND SO FAR"

Tatar emphasized that they would express that there would be no return from the politics pursued over the past three years, saying that they would convey their stance to the UN Secretary-General that there has been no common ground so far through the research to be conducted by their Personal Representative. Tatar said, "There has been no common ground so far," emphasizing that the opposite side wants negotiations to start from where they left off at Crans Montana, calling for negotiations for a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation.

Tatar mentioned that a delegation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey was in the TRNC yesterday and had meetings, stating that Turkey fully supports the new policy.

"ISOLATIONS, EMBARGOES, AND RESTRICTIONS SHOULD BE LIFTED"

Tatar stated that they would convey to the UN Secretary-General that the isolations, embargoes, and restrictions imposed on the Turkish Cypriot people should be lifted, mentioning that the promises given to the Turkish Cypriot people after the Annan Plan are still not kept. Tatar emphasized that the Turkish Cypriot people are faced with a mentality that will restrict and block any development with embargoes. Referring to UN Security Council Resolution 186 of 1964, Tatar pointed out that more than 60 years have passed since the resolution, saying, "The Cyprus issue has not been resolved for 60 years." Tatar explained that there have been many negotiations in 60 years, negotiation tables have been set up, and overturned for an agreement on a federal basis, citing the Annan Plan and Crans Montana as the best recent examples.

Tatar stated that the public also knows the truth very well, emphasizing that it is a great injustice to recognize the "Republic of Cyprus" established in 1963. President Tatar expressed that the Turkish Cypriot people were forced into a solution under pressure, but the world has learned that this will not be the case anymore. Tatar emphasized that Turkey is alongside the Turkish Cypriot people, saying that