Tatar: no official talks unless Turkish Cypriot sovereignty recognised

The north’s sovereignty must be accepted in order for formal negotiations to begin, Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar reiterated on Monday, adding that a federal solution uniting the two sides is not possible.

His comments came as the Republic shifted its policy of pressing for sanctions on Turkey and has instead pivoted towards confidence building measures (CBMs) – as it is hoped that they will help detoxify the current climate which has choked efforts to resolve the Cyprus problem.

But in his interview with CNN Turk, Tatar said that while discussions with President Nicos Anastasiades may take place – to iron out positions on the CBMs – they would not be formal negotiations.

“If we want formal negotiations, our equality on the international stage must be accepted,” he said, adding that the Turkish Cypriots are currently only accepted at discussions as a community and not as a formal state.

“If there are going to be formal negotiations then we must sit at the table on an equal basis,” Tatar said.

Elsewhere, the Turkish Cypriot leader also criticised a recent event which saw priests invited to a National Guard shooting range and fire weapons.

He criticised what he said was the church’s influential role in political life – adding that the two sides can live side by side in peace but that should there be a solution, the church will have to take a step back.

Anastasiades’ proposals for CMBs include handing over of the fenced-off area of Varosha to the UN, putting the Famagusta port customs services under EU authority to facilitate trade with the outside world and the operation of Tymbou (Ercan) airport under the UN.

Agreement to the latter two measures would end the ‘isolation’ and the embargo that the Turkish Cypriots complain about, Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides told Kathimerini in an interview over the weekend.

In exchange for agreeing to open up the north to trade and international flights, the Cyprus government wants Turkey to implement the additional Ankara protocol, by opening ports to ships under the Cyprus flag and allowing Cyprus planes to enter Turkish airspace.

Sanctions against Turkey, most recently for its opening up of Varosha, were at the centre of the policy of the former foreign minister Nikos Christodoulides but the efforts were largely shunned by the US and EU.

Tatar has meanwhile called for the creation of a committee to negotiate the joint management of Cyprus’ hydrocarbon deposits.