President Ersin Tatar on Thursday said that Turkish Cypriots who have left properties in the south, should be entitled to equivalent properties in the TRNC.

Tatar was speaking during a visit paid to him by former General Director of the Vakıflar Administration Taner Derviş and an accompanying delegation.

Exchange value property was discussed during the meeting.

Speaking during the visit, the former Vakıflar director Derviş said that despite a provision in the constitution which stated that individuals who left property in the south should be given abandoned properties in the north, much property had been given to those who were not eligible or who had not moved to the TRNC from the south.

He asked President Ersin Tatar to address this matter.

For his part, President Tatar reminded that he has been advocating for a two-state solution with the support of Ankara since he assumed office a year ago.

He said that it was not possible to achieve a federal settlement with the Greek Cypriot side which even rejected the notion of political equality.

Pointing out that the overwhelming majority of Turkish Cypriots who had migrated to the TRNC after 1974 had no intention of going back to their former properties; Tatar said that those who left properties behind should not be able to get properties in the TRNC in exchange.

He also said that it was unconstitutional for the rights of these individuals to be granted to others.

The president said that he will continue to pursue the matter closely.