President Ersin Tatar attended the inauguration ceremony of the Türkevi Centre in New York.
Speaking at the ceremony which was attended by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the UN Chief Antonio Guterres and other foreign guests, Tatar said, “I am pleased that I shared this special moment.”
“I am pleased that I participated in the opening ceremony of the Türkevi Centre which is located in one of the most distinctive areas of New York. We feel extremely happy that the TRNC’s New York Representation Office has been given a place in the 36-story Türkevi which is located right across the United Nations Headquarters. On this opportunity I want to express my gratitude to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the motherland officials and the Turkish nation,” Tatar said.
Reminding that the Turkish Cypriot people had a representation office in New York since 1974, he said the newly inaugurated Türkevi Centre dramatically shows the increasing power of Turkey in the changing world conditions.
The TRNC President also added that this power would have a positive impact on the national cause, the Cyprus issue.
“We came here to explain our policy which is based on sovereign equality, equal international status and cooperation between two states in Cyprus” Tatar said, adding that he will be meeting both face-to-face with Guterres and attending a trilateral meeting with the Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades at a lunch on September 27.
“Our position is clear and it is out of question to take a step back from our position in favour of a two-state solution. We are in favour of dialogue but this dialogue would only be meaningful, positive and achieve results if it adheres to the principles I mentioned. A possible agreement could be realistic and sustainable if these principles are accepted. We cannot reach the desired objective with methods and formulas which have been tried before and which failed” the TRNC president noted.
“We will continue our contacts in New York with this understanding and in a constructive attitude” he added.
Meanwhile, President Tatar held contacts with high level foreign officials during the inauguration ceremony.
In line with his contacts in New York, Tatar also attended the 11th Turkey Investment Conference of the Turkey-US Business Council.