The issue of opening new crossing points would have been resolved if President Christodoulides had not insisted on the Pyroi road, according to Ersin Tatar. He made the statement just after midnight on Thursday into Friday, following the conclusion of the plenary session of the informal five-party meeting in New York.
Tatar stated that on Thursday morning, several hours had been spent in New York discussing the matter, with the UN Secretary-General making considerable efforts to find common ground regarding the crossing points. He claimed that the Greek Cypriot side insisted on routing through the buffer zone from Pyroi and from there to Nicosia.
However, he said that security and military assessments had clearly shown that the route through the buffer zone was unsuitable. With the involvement of Hakan Fidan, they proposed an alternative: an additional 5 kilometres along the existing route within the occupied area, which would have allowed Greek Cypriots to travel southwards. This alternative, he said, was also rejected.
Tatar explained that thousands of Greek Cypriots reside in that area and would have wanted to use the road to shorten their journey to Nicosia. He felt it necessary to clarify that, because of the Greek Cypriot side’s insistence on using the route through the buffer zone, they would not be able to use this road.
He described the development as deeply disappointing. Had the matter been resolved, he believed the possibility of opening four crossing points would have been on the table.
Tatar expressed strong frustration over the Greek Cypriot side’s insistence on passing through the buffer zone. He said they had been prepared to construct an additional 5-kilometre road, and that, 10 kilometres later, Greek Cypriots would have been able to cross to the other side of Nicosia.
He took the opportunity to once again urge President Nikos Christodoulides to reconsider the proposed solution. In his view, resolving the issue could have enabled the opening of the four checkpoints, and an agreement might have been signed, making the New York meeting significantly more meaningful.
Tatar also stated that the proposed crossing through Kokkina had been deemed unsuitable for military reasons. He argued that the Greek Cypriot approach was not one of compromise, but rather an attempt to impose their position.
New proposals
Tatar addressed international, Turkish, and Turkish Cypriot journalists at the UN building. He began by reading from a prepared English statement, then spoke in English and later in Turkish, responding to questions.
Speaking in English, he said he had submitted six new proposals to be discussed in the coming months. These included:
- seismic mapping of the island to improve earthquake preparedness,
- microplastics mapping and clean-up,
- fundraising by both leaders for the full restoration of heritage sites and for the issue of missing persons,
- air quality monitoring,
- joint management of the island’s water resources,
- cooperation in combating drug trafficking, which he described as a pressing challenge affecting nearly all age groups.
He added that, until the next meeting—as also announced by the UN Secretary-General—they would continue discussions on an NGO advisory body, cultural exchange, air quality monitoring, and microplastics.
Six March initiatives
Referring to the six initiatives agreed in March, Tatar made special mention of the creation of the Technical Committee on Youth. He said restoration works at cemeteries, under the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage, were proceeding smoothly based on the agreed list.
On climate change, he stated that the Technical Committee on the Environment had begun working on its potential impacts. Regarding demining, he reiterated his commitment to a mine-free Cyprus, stating that he saw this goal as a contribution to humanity and a step towards a world free of landmines.
He claimed that progress on the proposed solar park in the buffer zone had been hindered by the Greek Cypriot side’s insistence on direct control over all energy production and its exclusive transfer to the Greek Cypriot side. He repeated his view that both sides should receive their agreed share of energy directly, saying this would only be fair.
Arrests and property cases
Tatar stated that, during the current and previous bilateral meetings, he had expressed deep disappointment over what he described as an unfortunate series of incidents that had occurred on the island following the Geneva meeting. He had been convinced, he said, that the Greek Cypriot side would also make every effort to maintain the new atmosphere, which could support progress on the six confidence-building initiatives between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities.
However, he claimed that following the Geneva meeting, the Greek Cypriot leadership had intensified legal actions against Turkish Cypriots over Greek Cypriot properties. He argued that such actions harmed relations between the two communities and targeted the Turkish Cypriot economy and tourism.
He noted that, on the one hand, efforts were being made to build trust through interpersonal contact and interaction, yet on the other hand, the actions of the Greek Cypriot leadership were causing stress, pressure, and growing fear among Turkish Cypriots. Many Turkish Cypriots, he said, were afraid of arrest or detention if they crossed to southern Cyprus or travelled abroad.
He added that these actions were taking place despite the existence of the Immovable Property Commission, where Greek Cypriots could file claims for their property. He described the commission as offering an effective domestic legal remedy, one recognised by the European Court of Human Rights.
As the leader of the so-called “TRNC”, Tatar stated that he saw it as his duty to protect his people. He also considered it his responsibility to work for a sustainable future for the island, which was why he had exercised restraint and refrained from taking reciprocal action. He acknowledged that the Greek Cypriot leadership’s handling of the property issue had also stirred feelings of resentment among Greek Cypriots towards Turkish Cypriots.
He claimed that official statements from the Greek Cypriot side suggested this might even be the intended outcome. He warned that such negative emotions threatened to drive the two communities further apart and away from efforts to build trust. For this reason, he insisted, these incidents must be stopped before it was too late.
Tatar alleged that the Greek Cypriot leadership had conducted a systematic campaign aimed at discouraging foreigners from engaging with the Turkish Cypriot side. He stressed that, in his view, the policy of isolation and intimidation did not serve the goal of making progress under the new atmosphere. Nor did it help create a favourable environment between the two sides on the island; instead, it widened the divide.
“Two states”
According to Tatar, there had effectively been two states and two republics in Cyprus for the past 51 years, reflecting the will of both the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot communities.
He argued that any future process could only begin by reaffirming the inherent rights of both sides—specifically, their sovereign equality and equal international status. If a new, official negotiation process were to start, he said, it must be based on the realities on the ground and treat both sides with equal fairness and dignity.
Referring to UN Security Council Resolution 186 of 1964, which recognises only the government of the Republic of Cyprus, he stated that 62 years had passed, and the Cyprus problem remained unresolved. In the meantime, he said, Turkish Cypriots had been “punished” through embargoes and restrictions on the economy, direct flights, direct contacts, and direct trade, and even in sports. He described this as completely unacceptable and said that they expected these restrictions to be lifted.
He also stated that he would meet again with President Christodoulides in New York in September and, despite their differences, he believed that the two sides could cooperate “as two states” on shared interests such as energy and water. He expressed hope that, by then, some progress might also be made regarding the crossing points.
When asked about demining, Tatar said that the issue was that the Greek Cypriot “friends” wanted clearance in some areas but were unwilling to touch others for now. He emphasised that his policy was to ensure that Cyprus would be entirely mine-free.
He reiterated his views on energy, saying that solar power could be produced in Cyprus and transported to the EU via Turkey. If this were achieved, he said, the island would be able to generate as much solar energy as needed.
On hydrocarbons, he repeated his longstanding claim that the Greek Cypriot side treated Turkish Cypriots as a minority and believed the entire island belonged to them.
Also read: Christodoulides open to new checkpoints, Turkish side rejects proposals
Source: CNA
