Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar said that there is no natural mechanism that will unite Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots and make them live in a state.
-Tatar said that Cyprus has its realities.
Speaking to the Anatolian News Agency (AA), Tatar evaluated the latest developments noting that there is a problem in Cyprus and that there is a need for reconciliation. Tatar said that the path for reconciliation and cooperation passes through two sovereign equal states. He noted that the calls for re-unification made by some of the international community, especially the United Nations, are far from the truth.
Tatar continued as follows:
“There are no natural mechanisms that will unite us with the Greek Cypriots and keep us alive in a state as Cyprus has its realities. Each side has determined its position for the last 60 years. I do not know Greek, he does not know Turkish. I don’t recognize him, he doesn’t recognize me. The business world is different on both sides. Therefore, we cannot get anywhere with the discourse of a bi-communal federation.”
– “Both sides will benefit from an agreement”
Tatar stated that Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides advocated the idea of a “United Cyprus” due to the support of the church and the far-right ELAM. Following his election Christodoulides drew a profile that adopted the bi-communal federation model, taking into account the international community, but there was no change in his attitude, Tatar is cited as saying.
