President Ersin Tatar said on Wednesday that a solution in Cyprus can only be based on two independent, sovereign states that existed side-by-side.

Speaking at a press conference at Ercan airport on his return from his contacts in Turkey, Tatar said that the Turkish Cypriot side’s position on the matter was clear.

He also said that the Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades’ proposal to return to the 1960 constitutional order was neither possible nor acceptable.

Providing a summary of his contacts in Turkey, President Ersin Tatar said that he had found the opportunity to brief representatives of various civil society organisations as well as associations on the latest stage reached on the Cyprus Issue.

“Cyprus is not the old Cyprus. The Eastern Mediterranean is not the old Mediterranean,” said Tatar, pointing out that a solution in Cyprus can only be based on two independent, sovereign states that existed side-by-side.

Regarding the latest proposal made by the Greek Cypriot leader for a return to the 1960 Cyprus Republic, he said, “We as Turkish Cypriots cannot return to the 1960 constitutional order.

Asked whether an official meeting could take place with the Greek Cypriot side in the coming days, Tatar said that such a meeting had not been decided yet.

He added that they will be holding meetings amongst themselves as well as with Turkey ahead of his upcoming meeting to New York.