Ünal Üstel: "Federation Is No Longer a Common Ground"

"It is not the time to dwell on past failures or to pursue concepts that have yielded no results for 50 years. It is time to introduce new ideas, discuss new positions, and embrace new realities," Üstel said.

In a written statement following the 5+1 informal Cyprus meeting, Üstel emphasized that the Geneva talks confirmed there would be no return to negotiations based on federation. He reiterated that the Turkish Cypriot side maintained its demand for sovereignty, equality, and equal international status.

Üstel noted that the Turkish Cypriot side proposed new steps based on cooperation, and the fact that these ideas gained traction indicated their role in shaping the new process. While he found the decisions made insufficient, he welcomed them as a positive step. He also expressed commitment to maintaining a sincere approach and supporting steps to foster a culture of cooperation and dialogue in the meetings planned for July.

"The Return to Federal-Based Negotiations Has Been Ruled Out"

Üstel stated that nearly five decades of negotiations had shown that the Greek Cypriot side had no real intention of reaching an agreement on a federation. He accused the Greek Cypriot leadership of viewing federation as a tool rather than a goal, arguing that such an approach only served to keep the Turkish Cypriots at the negotiating table indefinitely and hindered the development of their state.

"As we went to Geneva, we consistently emphasized that it was time to bring new ideas to the table, that our sovereign equality and equal international status must be recognized, and that concrete steps should be taken toward a new era based on cooperation between two states," Üstel stated, adding that President Ersin Tatar and the Turkish government shared this stance.