Tatar: Believing that Turkish Cypriots Will Enter the EU on an Equal Basis is Foolish

President Ersin Tatar spoke at the "International Cyprus Symposium on the 50th Anniversary of the Cyprus Peace Operation" at Istanbul University. Commenting on the Cyprus resolution accepted by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM), Tatar said, “It is a very appropriate resolution,” and added, “I thank Numan Kurtulmuş. Turkey has accepted and supported the two-state policy.”

Emphasizing that any agreement must be based on a two-state solution, Ersin Tatar said, “If you are not a sovereign state and you become part of a joint republic, our existence could be at risk. Sovereignty is our most natural right anyway.”

Highlighting that the TRNC is now part of the Organization of Turkic States and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, President Tatar said, “We may not be recognized as we wish today, but we are securing our place in such organizations.”

Stating that a fair, permanent, and sustainable agreement requires a two-state solution model, Ersin Tatar said, "We now all see the dangers of federation. Negotiations have been tried many times. Zero guarantees were demanded, the removal of the guarantor right was requested. Believing that Turkish Cypriots will enter the EU on an equal basis is foolish.”

Reminding that a new policy is now being pursued, President Ersin Tatar said, “We can start negotiations based on the sovereign equality of the Turkish Cypriot people. There are two separate peoples in Cyprus. Therefore, we can only start negotiations if our sovereignty is accepted.”

Emphasizing that the real owners of Cyprus are the Turkish Cypriots, Tatar said, “Our sovereignty is being taken away through various games. But our struggle will continue until the end.

The 1974 Operation was a very powerful operation, but Turkey faced embargoes. Turkey’s national defense was strengthened after that period. Therefore, it led to such a positive outcome,” he said.