Andreas Pimpisis
Ersin Tatar's demands do not differ on the Cyprus issue and he maintains that without recognizing two separate equal states, there is no question for the Turkish side to enter into negotiations. The occupying leader declares with conviction that sooner or later the pseudo-state will achieve recognition.
In an interview with the Turkish news agency Anatolou (KYPE source), Ersin Tatar said that “we have promoted a policy with the full support of Turkey for the acceptance of two separate sovereign equal states in Cyprus, so that we can enter the formal process.”
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He reiterated that they would not enter into federation talks as in the past. “We have been negotiating the federation model for 50 years and no results have been achieved,” he said.
He further added that the UN Secretary General also sees that without the acceptance of the principles of two equal sovereign states and an equal international status in Cyprus, there will be no common ground and therefore no formal negotiation or process can begin, he further said. “Mr Guterres, although he tries to be impartial, is pleased with the fact that he has confirmed that there is no common ground at the moment,” said Ersin Tatar.
He went on to say that co-operation is important so that “two peoples” can live side by side, adding that this could be in areas such as health, forensics, the environment and energy. As he said, there are many people who work in the bi-communal committees, who cooperate with the Greek Cypriot community on issues that may affect daily life, saying that they support this. However, he claimed that the Greek Cypriots did not sincerely support the work of the bi-communal committees as much as they did.
The Turkish leader argued that the essence of the Cyprus problem is based on the “sharing of sovereignty”, adding that our sovereignty is at least as legal as that of the Greek Cypriots. “Our arguments are that we are as sovereign as they are.”
The Greek Cypriots, he claimed, “want to drag us within the EU to a single sovereignty. With a solution that will be imposed, they want over time the strongest to extend its dominance to the weakest in the north. This is something we will never accept. Turkey will not allow it anyway. “As a result, the security and existence of the Turkish people is of course very important for the Turkish people, but the continuation of the Turkish state as a sovereign state is important for the security of Turkey as well.”
Ersin Tatar said that the Greek Cypriot side insisted on a single point of sovereignty, adding that the Greek Cypriots “dream of integrating the Turkish Cypriots into the Republic of Cyprus, which has become a Cypriot state, leaving their own state.”
For Varosia, Ersin Tatar claimed that “they are within the borders of the TRNC, the gradual opening process began in October 2020, after 46 years”. He claimed that with this they sent a message to the whole world that “the game has changed. “Cyprus and the Turkish side have developed a new vision.”
Important for Turkish security
The Turkish leader argued that the essence of the Cyprus problem is based on the “sharing of sovereignty”, adding that our sovereignty is at least as legal as that of the Greek Cypriots. “Our arguments are that we are as sovereign as they are.”
The Greek Cypriots, he claimed, “want to drag us within the EU to a single sovereignty. With a solution that will be imposed, they want over time the strongest to extend its dominance to the weakest in the north. This is something we will never accept. Turkey will not allow it anyway. “As a result, the security and existence of the Turkish people is of course very important for the Turkish people, but the continuation of the Turkish state as a sovereign state is important for the security of Turkey as well.”
Turkey is only 40 miles away
Regarding the withdrawal of US support for the EastMed pipeline in the eastern Mediterranean, Ersin Tatar said: “When you look at the details of EastMed, the distance and the cost, it was obvious that this would be the case, feasible project “.
In the event of an agreement in Cyprus, Turkey is only 40 miles from here, he continued. “The possibility of achieving it would also be much more substantial. All hydrocarbons can be transported to the EU via Turkey. “It's next for Americans and others to see that the EastMed project is not feasible and to make statements in that direction.”
