President Ersin Tatar’s article was published in the Daily Express during his London visit.
“The United Kingdom should support the two-state solution” President Tatar stressed in his article.
President Ersin Tatar, in his article published in the Daily Express, one of the most important national newspapers of the United Kingdom, invited the United Kingdom to support the two-state solution in Cyprus by putting an end to the never-ending search, which he likened to a merry-go round.
In his article published during his London contacts, President Ersin Tatar stated that they expected the UK, which has historical importance on Cyprus, to support the forward-looking vision put forward by the Turkish Cypriot side.
In his article, Tatar said:
I am currently visiting the UK to set out the Turkish Cypriot Side’s new forward-looking vision for a solution in Cyprus that is based on the sovereign equality and equal international status of the two sides.
I am talking about a settlement that is based on a cooperative relationship between two States, based on mutual respect and acknowledgment of the inherent rights of the Turkish Cypriot People.
Our vision is for the island of Cyprus to act as a beacon of sustainable peace and stability in an otherwise volatile region, whilst recognising the facts on the ground.
This vision protects the cultural identity and political rights of both sides. It is a fair, realistic and viable solution to a decades-old problem, for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus exists for a reason.
It is the embodiment of the sovereign equality of the Turkish Cypriot People and despite unjust international isolation, our vision continues to grow stronger each day. We are no less legitimate than the Greek Cypriot entity next door.
The Turkish Cypriot People did not adopt this vision as a basis for a settlement overnight, but out of necessity after decades of negotiations for a federal-based solution, which has now been exhausted due to the Greek Cypriot side’s continuous rejections and attempts to perpetuate the status quo.
The problem in Cyprus started in the 1950s when the Greek Cypriots began a campaign to annex the island with Greece (ENOSİS) during British colonial rule.
It was only thanks to the Turkish peace operation in 1974 that the bloodshed ended and peace and stability was achieved. This new-found peace would eventually lead to the establishment of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus that we see today.
Rather than wasting further time on shown to be unworkable solutions it is now time for a new approach. The time has come to work on a way forward based on the re-affirmation of sovereign equality and equal international status of the two Sides. Only this will allow for a cooperative relationship between the two States moving forward.
For the UK specifically, we would encourage a fresh new approach towards the Turkish Cypriot people – to treat us on an equal footing. Using the greater flexibility of Brexit, it is time to start to normalise relations on areas such as trade and police cooperation. I am confident that anything which helps to reduce the disparities with the Greek Cypriot side will ultimately help with the search for a solution.
In short, the merry-go round must end. Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots should get off: it’s a farce. We need a fresh agenda and fresh opportunities for both peoples of the island of Cyprus – for peace, security and prosperity.