President Ersin Tatar highlighted on Wednesday the importance of maintaining the existence of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, stating that this had given the Turkish Cypriot people, as in the example of Kosovo, the right to exercise self-determination.

Tatar’s words came during a speech delivered at the monthly assembly meeting of the Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce.

Pointing out that there are two states and two peoples in Cyprus, President Ersin Tatar said that it was no longer possible for the two peoples on the island to live together.

“The international community is not telling us to abandon our rights. It is telling us that both sides need to reach an agreement in order to solve the Cyprus Problem. Such an agreement seems highly unlikely because the Greek Cypriots have an advantage which it is using to the very end,” he added.

Explaining that the TRNC possessed all the criteria, institutions and requirements of being a state, Tatar said that according to the UN’s established practices as in the case of Kosovo, Turkish Cypriots who have been governing themselves for the past 60 years have been granted the right to self-determination.

“It is our most fundamental right to continue to exist as a state with the support of Turkey,” he added.