Tatar: I do not expect much from the meeting in New York

Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar on Thursday said he does not “expect much” from his forthcoming tripartite meeting with President Nikos Christodoulides and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York.

Speaking to a delegation of journalists from Turkey who are visiting Cyprus ahead of next month’s Turkish Cypriot leadership elections, he laid out his low expectations for the New York meeting.

“I do not expect much from the meeting in New York. However, despite the pre-election pressures, I must be there. The state is fundamental, the people’s future is fundamental. Just like every year, I will go and document [my] policies,” he said, according to Turkish news website T24.

Those policies, he said, stipulate that “we will not enter into a negotiation process without recognition of our sovereign equality and equal international status”.

“I told [Guterres] the same thing. For this to become a reality in practice, we can only agree to a negotiation process if what we call ‘3D’ – direct flights, direct trade and direct contact – are achieved,” he said.

He added that his “dream” is for “the Turkish republic of northern Cyprus to be recognised”.

Looking ahead to the New York meeting, he reiterated that his position is that “when we talk about two states, we are talking about cooperation on the island”, but that “cooperation [must] benefit both states, both peoples”.

To this end, he said that “there can be two equal, sovereign states under the European Union’s umbrella”.

He added that there is “currently no common ground” between the island’s two sides, and that therefore, “a formal negotiation process is not expected” in the near future.

“However, [Guterres] is discussing various projects where the two sides can collaborate until a favourable atmosphere is established. For example, a joint energy investment in the buffer zone is on the agenda. This will allow both sides to benefit from the energy,” he said.

This project, however, has hit the buffers, with Tatar saying that “the Greek Cypriot side wants the electricity generated there to be allocated solely to its own electricity authority”, and that “we, however, insist on acquiring 40 per cent of the system”.

Turkish Cypriot diplomatic sources had earlier explained to the Cyprus Mail that the Greek Cypriot side “insisted that the energy generated from solar panels be connected directly to the Greek Cypriot grid and then transferred from there to the Turkish Cypriot side”.

“In other words, the Greek Cypriot side considers this to be a matter of sovereignty, as it does many other issues. Claiming that it is the sole sovereign administration in Cyprus, it is trying to impose on the Turkish Cypriot side that the Greek Cypriot electricity authority [EAC] is the sole authority on the island regarding electricity,” the sources added.

Tatar reiterated this position on Thursday, saying that “such details demonstrate that the Greek Cypriot side still refuses to accept our sovereignty”.

He was then asked about the steps the Republic of Cyprus is taking in the field of defence, with new agreements signed with the United States this year and an air defence system recently having been acquired from the State of Israel.

“Turkey, as the most powerful country in the region and a guarantor power, has already made the necessary statements on these issues,” he said, adding that “these unilateral steps taken by the Greek Cypriot administration have many different dimensions”.

“We are consulting with Turkey on all of this. Fortunately, Turkey has the power to have a significant say on these matters,” he said.

He added, “perhaps some measures can be taken before these little things escalate to even more dangerous levels for the island as a whole”, but that “the issue for us is [that] the south is defiant and has effectively reached the position of becoming a second Israel”.

“However, the Greek Cypriot people are also uneasy about this situation. Tourism, services and real estate are crucial in the south. Opening their arms to [Israel] in this way could have dire consequences. I urge everyone to exercise common sense,” he said.

Before Saturday’s tripartite meeting, he will hold a one-on-one meeting with Guterres after he arrives in New York on Friday. Christodoulides, meanwhile, will hold his own one-on-one meeting with Guterres on Thursday.

Saturday’s meeting will be held with a view to arrange a third enlarged meeting on the Cyprus problem this year, involving Cyprus’ two sides, the UN and the island’s three guarantor powers, Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom, likely taking place in late November.

That enlarged meeting will take place after the Turkish Cypriot leadership election on October 19.

That election will see Tatar be challenged by former Turkish Cypriot ‘prime minister’ Tufan Erhurman, who advocates for a return to negotiations based on a federal solution.