President Ersin Tatar on Sunday said that his main goal was for Turkish Cypriots to live in their own homeland, equal, sovereign and free as well as for the development of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

Tatar evaluated his second year in office with an interview to the TAK News Agency.

Speaking to the TAK news agency on the anniversary of his second year in office, President Ersin Tatar said that it was important that the Turkish Cypriot people lived freely and independently under the roof of their own sovereign state.

He added that the Turkish Cypriot people continue to desire a just, lasting and sustainable settlement to the Cyprus Problem.

“I am at peace for keeping the promises I made to the people as I leave two years behind in office,” the president said.

He added however that any settlement to be reached on the island could only be on the basis of a two-state solution based on sovereign equality and the equal international status of the Turkish Cypriot people.

Tatar reminded that Ankara fully supported this policy and that it was the Greek Cypriots who had prevented a federal solution on the island since official talks first began in 1968.

“That is why we have a new policy and a new understanding. A momentum has been reached in promoting the sovereignty of the Turkish Cypriot people,” President Tatar said.

Highlighting the risks of a federal settlement, Tatar said that it had become almost impossible for Greek Cypriots to recognize the equality of the Turkish Cypriot people after joining the EU, and that such a process was open-ended.

“That’s why we shifted our policy towards a two-state solution. There are numerous states, institutions and organisations which support recognition. We shall see when that will be possible but I can tell you for certain that there is no going back. The balances have now changed,” he said, adding that both the status and importance of the TRNC has grown.