Tatar in NY, calls for equal sovereign rights

Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar arrived in New York on Sunday in advance of the UN General Assembly, where he is scheduled to advocate for equal sovereign rights for Turkish Cypriots.

Prior to his departure, Tatar told media in the north that at the moment there are no grounds for a potential tripartite meeting with President Nicos Anastasiades and the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

However, he is set to meet Guterres, as well as Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu this week.

Tatar reiterated his stance on the Cyprus problem and said he “does not think Anastasiades will have time for a meeting in the midst of an election period.

“All presidential candidates in Cyprus maintain the same stance on the Cyprus problem. Therefore, there are no grounds for a meeting or discussions,” he said.

Tatar on Sunday attended a dinner hosted by the Turkish American National Steering Committee (TASC).

Speaking during the dinner, Tatar called for the international recognition of the Turkish Cypriot side, arguing that the negotiations for a solution to the Cyprus problem “should be carried out by two separate states.”

Tatar said that the Republic recognising Turkish Cypriots as equals is a necessary condition for the start of the negotiations.

“We demand an international status, we demand that our rights are respected and recognised. That is why the UN Security Council must come up with a solution that places us on the same level as the Greek Cypriot side,” Tatar said, adding that, should the demands be met, he would be ready for discussions on sovereign status, territory and properties.