Tatar: No talks on Cyprus without international recognition for the north

The president of the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus tells Al Majalla that the “mindset” of Greek Cypriots preventing equality between the two parts of the island is in the way of negotiations

Majalla

Ersin Tatar, President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

Tatar: No talks on Cyprus without international recognition for the north

Omer Onhon

last update on 30 Oct 2023

President Ersin Tatar of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus has ruled out returning to negotiations with Greek Cypriots until his side of the island is properly recognised as a nation.

He also emphasised that the only factor preventing the TRNC from this status is international acknowledgement of it, telling Al Majalla the north would not return to talks until this changes.

“We will not consider going back to the negotiation table unless sovereign equality and equal international status for Turkish Cypriots is acknowledged,” adding: “I am asked what the next step is and when we will start negotiating again. What is the use of negotiating under these circumstances?”

He also set his own clear parameters: “We will not back down from our sovereignty and will not give up on our security. We will also not consider any agreement without Turkey's guarantorship as either complete or acceptable.”

Tatar was speaking in in the presidential palace in the historic quarter of Lefkoşa, the Turkish side of the island’s capital. The building was constructed in 1939 for the British Governor and has been used by the TNRC’s top officials since 1983.

The Lefkoşa-born, Cambridge-educated president won in the second round of an 11 candidate election in October 2020, with 51.7% of the vote.

He pointed to a problem all his predecessors there will have shared, as well some more recent problems the TNRC has faced: “We do not have international recognition from any nation, except Turkey. Apart from this issue of non-recognition, TRNC has all the necessary prerequisites for statehood.”

Greek Cypriots are using and abusing their status, as EU members, to put pressure on us and Turkey. The EU made a grave mistake by letting Cyprus as a member state in 2004, as it admitted a country with an unresolved territorial dispute and left outside a quarter of its population.

Ersin Tatar, President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

Grave mistake

Tatar was clear about what is standing in the way: "Greek Cypriots are using and abusing their status, as European Union members, to put pressure on us and Turkey," adding:

"They claim that they represent the whole island, but this is not the case. They do not represent Turkish Cypriots in the EU, or anywhere else for that matter. The EU made a grave mistake by letting Cyprus as a member state in 2004, as it admitted a country with an unresolved territorial dispute and left outside a quarter of its population."

Majalla — Ersin Tatar, President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

He added: "We have engaged so many times in efforts and negotiations to find a solution to the Cyprus issue but never succeeded because of the mindset of Greek Cypriots."

And Tatar hit out at how the admission of part of Cyprus to the bloc came after the rejection of international move – led by Kofi Annan, the former secretary general of the United Nations – to resolve the dispute between Greece and Turkey over Cyprus.

"Greek Cypriots who rejected the Annan Plan in the 2004 referendum were rewarded, and Turkish Cypriots who said yes to the plan were punished. To this day, Turkish Cypriots continue to be isolated and excluded."

And Tatar claimed some distinguished support for this argument.

"Several high-ranking EU officials, albeit after their retirement from office, have publicly admitted the mistake. Former British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw emphasised this in a recent article."

Greek Cypriots who rejected the Annan Plan in the 2004 referendum were rewarded, and Turkish Cypriots who said yes to the plan were punished. Several high-ranking EU officials, albeit after their retirement from office, have publicly admitted the mistake.

Ersin Tatar, President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

Few connections

Tatar pointed to some of the highly visible consequences of the "efforts by Greek Cypriots": "Our airport is used only by aircraft from Turkey. The Turkish Cypriots love sports but are excluded from participation in international sports tournaments and any sort of contact. Except for Turkey, we can not trade freely and directly with any country and can not travel with our own documents."

He claimed that inequality between Turkish and Greek Cypriots had deep roots and was still a problem.

"The founding documents, including the 1960 Treaty concerning the establishment of the Republic of Cyprus, are based on the equality and equal partnership of Turks and Greeks."

"But in reality, Greek Cypriots have never seen Turks as equals. They think that they own the island and Turkish Cypriots belong to them. This has been the underlying problem all along."

The fifth president of the TNRC said: "What Greek Cypriots are doing is neither politically nor morally correct. The international community must not be an accomplice to their wrongdoing."

Nonetheless, the president – who first joined the centre-right National Unity Party in 2009, served as finance minister and went on to lead it in 2018 – remains optimistic, with elements of the recognition his nation has long craved on his agenda. But as ever, the politics are prone to complications:

"I will go to New York to attend the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly."

"The United Nations established a Peace Keeping Force in Cyprus in 1964, by resolution 186. The financial costs of the Force are met by the Republic of Cyprus, that is the Greek Cypriots."

"Maybe for that reason, the UN Force is completely in favor of the Greek Cypriot views and policies. I regret this. The UN is supposed to be objective and impartial."

The founding documents, including the 1960 Treaty concerning the establishment of the Republic of Cyprus, are based on the equality and equal partnership of Turks and Greeks. But in reality, Greek Cypriots have never seen Turks as equals.

Ersin Tatar, President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

Foreign interest

Tatar remained optimistic as he looked ahead, despite the difficulties the TNRC must deal with: "Despite all efforts of Greek Cypriots to isolate us, foreigners are taking an increasing interest in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Our lands are fertile. We offer opportunities. Many foreigners are acquiring property, they are coming to live here. This indicates growing confidence in TRNC, which raises our hopes for the future."

Beautiful aerial view over old town of Nicosia, Northern Cyprus and Selimiye Mosque in Cyprus.

And his part of Cyrprus has good links already with at least one part of the world: "As to our relations with Arab and Islamic countries, TRNC has observer status in the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. We have representation offices in a number of member states," Tatar pointed out.

"We want to strengthen our dialogue and expand our cooperation with all of them. Trade and tourism, as well as cooperation in the cultural field, can be considered among major cooperation areas. We host many students from various Middle Eastern countries who are studying at universities in TRNC. I wish more students from this region to benefit from our educational institutions."

Tatar called the TRNC "a reality, a living structure," and in defiance of all its difficulties, he said:

"We somehow manage these problems and continue to live on. We have our sovereignty and we live independently."

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