Üstel: 70 Percent Support the Two-State Solution, and Its Leader Is President Tatar

Speaking on Sabah Postası, a program on Kıbrıs Postası TV hosted by Gökhan Altıner, Üstel said the mentality of the Greek Cypriots has not changed. He noted that President Ersin Tatar had, in good faith and on record, presented the principle of sovereign equality and the existence of two sovereign states, recalling that consensus had been reached on five or six points to promote cooperation between the two communities. Üstel said that although the Greek Cypriot side had agreed to joint work between the two communities, none of the committees had been activated.

“The Whole World Now Recognizes Two Peoples and Two States”
Üstel stated, “The whole world now recognizes that there are two peoples and two states.” He recalled that in 2024, the Grand National Assembly of Turkey passed a resolution supporting the two-state solution by a large majority, although the 5+1 talks had delayed progress on the issue. Üstel also noted that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had called four times for recognition of the TRNC, most recently repeating the appeal at the Organization of Turkic States summit ten days ago.

“Azerbaijan Has Expressed Its Support for the TRNC”
Üstel said that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev had expressed his support for the TRNC, adding that they continue to defend the two-state vision on the eve of the elections. He drew attention to France, the United States, and India establishing a strong presence in Southern Cyprus, saying that this prompted the parliament to adopt the historic two-state resolution. Referring to a recent commando march held in Southern Cyprus, Üstel warned, “If they’re preparing for the future, they should remember—we’ll be there to meet them in Paphos.”

“We Achieved in Three and a Half Years What Wasn’t Done in Thirty”
Üstel recalled that federation talks had continued from 1968 until 2020, when the vision shifted toward a two-state solution. He said that his government is determined to promote the TRNC internationally as a strong and legitimate state. “The economy is now in a growth phase,” Üstel said, adding, “We achieved in three and a half years what wasn’t done in thirty.”

“Seventy Percent Support the Two-State Solution, and Its Leader Is President Ersin Tatar”
Calling the presidential election a decisive moment for the country’s future, Üstel said that parliament has already endorsed the two-state vision and that they must now work even harder to advance it.

Highlighting the importance of political stability, Üstel said that he and the president act in full coordination. He recalled that in the past, tensions arose when the government and the presidency were held by different parties, but said that there are no such disagreements today. He added that the Republic of Turkey has fully supported them and met all their requests.

“The election is over,” Üstel said. “We worked to widen the gap in favor of Mr. Tatar. Seventy percent support the two-state solution, and the leader of that vision is President Ersin Tatar.” He noted that both the Rebirth Party (Yeniden Doğuş Partisi) and the Democratic Party (DP) have endorsed Tatar under a “common sense agreement,” adding that the final results will be seen together on Sunday.