TRNC President Tatar stresses 'realities of Cyprus' ahead of UN meeting
GENEVA
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Ersin Tatar emphasized the importance of acknowledging the realities of Cyprus, stating, "No progress can be made without recognizing the facts of Cyprus."
Tatar made these remarks upon his arrival in Geneva, where he is attending an informal expanded-format meeting on Cyprus under the auspices of the United Nations (U.N.) on March 17-18.
"We have come to Geneva to defend the rights and legal status of the Turkish Cypriot people. We have prepared for what we need to say. Hopefully, this will be a productive step in the process," Tatar said.
The TRNC leader noted that the continuation of the process depends on the stance of the Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus (GCASC). "We will urge the international community and the U.N. to encourage them [GCASC] to engage in cooperation. There are realities in Cyprus, and without acknowledging them, no progress can be made. We stand firm in our position and look forward, not backward," he stated.
The informal meeting, organized under the auspices of U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, will bring together Turkish and Greek Cypriot representatives, as well as the three guarantor nations—Türkiye, Greece, and the United Kingdom.
The Turkish side will be represented by TRNC President Tatar, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and their respective delegations.
Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides, Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis, and UK Minister of State for Europe and North America Stephen Doughty will also participate in the discussions.
The talks will commence tonight at 9:00 PM local time with a dinner hosted by Guterres for the delegation heads.
The main session of the expanded-format Cyprus talks will begin tomorrow at 1:30 PM local time at the U.N. Office in Geneva, with all parties in attendance.
