Tatar says he’s ready for an informal dialogue

Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar said he was ready for an informal dialogue with the Greek Cypriot side and suggests it take place in London, according to reports on Sunday.

Tatar said in an interview with Phileleftheros, an excerpt of which was published online, that formal talks could take place if there was formal recognition of the sovereignty of both sides.

“If there is recognition of sovereign equality along with equal international status, it will encourage us to formally negotiate the Cyprus problem with all aspects related to it,” he said.

But he is ready for an informal dialogue. In a recent meeting with the British High Commissioner, he said he suggested that he and President Nicos Anastasiades be invited to London “for dialogue within in a different environment “.

Tatar said that for 60 years “in one way or another there are two separate states” and asked that the Greek Cypriot side and the international community to accept this reality.

He added that if the acceptance of the sovereign equality of the Turkish Cypriots was brought before the UN Security Council “and the Greek Cypriots are recognised and do not object, then we can negotiate the Cyprus problem in all its aspects”.

A new agreement is needed in Cyprus based on what the Turkish Cypriot side proposes, he said.

On the issue of Varosha, he said that as soon as the examination of the applications from Greek Cypriot property owners was completed, they would be returned. The current policy of opening Varosha would continue, he added.

Tatar said the Turkish Cypriots do not trust the European Union “or anyone other than Turkey”.