Turkish Cyprus does not consider UK as a neutral guarantor: Tatar
NICOSIA
Turkish Cypriot President Ersin Tatar has reiterated his critism against the United Kingdom’s stance on the Cyrus issue, saying that his country does not perceive London as a neutral guarantor power.
The United Nations will convene the two countries on the Mediterranean island and the guarantor of powers of Türkiye, Greece and the U.K. for an informal meeting in Geneva on March 17 and 18.
“I wanted the Türkiye and Greece present at the meeting, while the U.K. was gradually losing its neutrality, and this has been observed in its relationships with Israel and south [Greek] Cyprus,” Tatar told public broadcaster BRT.
“We do not see London as an impartial guarantor country. Türkiye and Greece will participate at the meeting with their foreign ministers. The U.K. will be represented at a lower level. This will happen with our approval and therefore a 4+1 became a 5+1,” he said.
He added that he “did not find it right” for the European Union to send a delegation to the meeting and said he will go to the meeting with a “constructive attitude.”
On March 7, Tatar received U.K. Minister of State for Europe and North America Stephen Doughty and his accompanying delegation in Nicosia.
Tatar said at a news conference after the meeting that the U.K. has failed to demonstrate an approach that fully reflects the reality in Cyprus.
He emphasized that a two-state solution is the only fair and sustainable option for Cyprus.
The goal of Doughty's visit was to learn the stance of the Turkish Cypriot side, especially before talks in Geneva, Tatar noted.
In an interview last week, Turkish Cypriot Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu said that clashing interests and differences in views will hinder the latest round of informal talks between the two Cypriot sides from reaching any essential conclusion.
Cyprus has been mired in a decades-long dispute between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots despite a series of diplomatic efforts by the U.N. to achieve a comprehensive settlement.
