President Ersin Tatar on Tuesday said that they were looking into whether or not there was common ground for the launch of official negotiations.

Tatar was speaking after receiving the Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and Americas in the United Nations Department of Political Affairs Miroslav Jenca.

The president told reporters after the one-hour long meeting that the current efforts were being carried out jointly with the Republic of Turkiye and that they had Ankara’s full support.

Regarding the issue of confidence-building measures (CBMs), Tatar said, “We are ready to discuss CBMs which will provide mutual benefit to both sides but which will not extend one side’s authority over the other.”

Stating that he had held an open and constructive meeting with Jenca, President Ersin Tatar said that the UN remained committed to providing support to efforts to reach a solution to the Cyprus Problem.

He said that the senior UN diplomat reminded of the call made by the UN Secretary-General to the two sides for the creation of conducive conditions that will assist a settlement and to refrain from unilateral activities that might hamper such efforts.

“We reminded Mr Jenca of the process that took place in April last year and the need for the recognition of our sovereign equality and equal international status. We conveyed to him that there has been no change in our position regarding a two-state solution,” Tatar said.

Pointing out that global fuel prices have gone up following the war in Ukraine, President Tatar said that he had told the US Undersecretary of State Victoria Nuland last week that the north of the island should be connected with Turkiye via cable, and that interconnecting both sides of the island with Europe via Turkiye’s grid would have benefits for both north and south.

“This would be a great CBM,” he added.

Tatar also said that he had briefed the UN diplomat on the ongoing work between the bicommunal technical committees on the island.

Meanwhile, President Ersin Tatar and the Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades will be attending an event this evening under the aegis of Colin Stewart, Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus.

A joint action plan on Gender Equality approved by both leaders will be promoted at the event which will take place at the UN headquarters located at the old Nicosia Airport in the UN controlled buffer zone.

The plan seeks ways to ensure women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in the settlement process/an eventual settlement process in Cyprus.