‘This will go down in history as the most pointless summit of all time’

This week’s enlarged meeting on the Cyprus problem “will go down as the most pointless, least productive summit of all time”, high-profile Turkish Cypriot lawyer Mine Atli said in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Speaking to the Cyprus Mail after being briefed on the outcome of Monday evening’s six-party dinner in the Swiss city of Geneva by Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Atli said the evening’s events and the subsequent briefing were “painful” to watch.

“Fidan made it evident that he had already discussed the matter with [United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres], and he didn’t talk about the Cyprus issue at all. Tatar in the end asked to talk about Cyprus,” she began.

She went on to say that the Turkish Cypriot side “had little to no agency” at the meeting.

“[Fidan] had an interesting approach. He shared this belief that the Greek Cypriot side has to cave in to the Turkish policy eventually, that because we are refusing to discuss a federation, they have to start discussing other models,” she said.

She added that Fidan had said there was no common ground, and that the Turkish side’s plan appears now to be to spend Tuesday “discussing areas of cooperation, like energy or communication”.

However, she poured scorn over this idea.

“It seems that what they want is what used to be the responsibility of a technical committee is now going to be handed over to leadership, but I saw no leadership from the Turkish Cypriot side tonight,” she said, before comparing Monday’s briefing to past peace processes.

“We have gone from talking about a comprehensive settlement where every detail was discussed to potentially discussing cooperation. This policy of Ersin Tatar has thrown us back 30 years.”

She also criticised opposition party CTP leader Tufan Erhurman, who at present appears to be the most likely challenger to Tatar at this October’s Turkish Cypriot leadership election.

“I didn’t see any leadership from the main opposition party leader either. He did not ask what Turkey stands to gain from this policy, or rather what Turkey stands to lose from a bizonal, federal Cyprus. It was all very sad, really.”

She added, “I am sceptical about the future unless we choose a leader who supports a bizonal, bicommunal federal solution but who can also ask Turkey difficult questions”.

Asked whether others’ hints of progress may lead to some form of positive outcome, she replied, “not from this process”.

“This is tragic. This will go down in history as the most pointless, least productive summit of all time,” she added.

She went on to say that on matters where cooperation between the island’s two sides could be suggested, “the Greek Cypriot side will be reluctant because the Turkish Cypriot side will use it to create propaganda to push for a two-state scenario – I won’t even call it a solution, it’s a two-state scenario”.

She then criticised the Turkish Cypriot leadership for “taking pride in being called to the summit despite its support for a two-state solution”.

“It is absurd. Surreal, in fact. We have come to this summit and the Cyprus problem is not being discussed. It is a sad day. My main concern now is that no irrevocable harm is done at the rest of this summit.”

Asked what that irrevocable harm may entail, she expressed concern that the summit could be used to “create propaganda to reappoint someone who is against a solution”.

Atli is attending the enlarged meeting on behalf of the TDP, the political party to which she belongs. Turkish Cypriot Nicosia mayor Mehmet Harmanci makes up the other half of the party’s delegation in Geneva.