Senior UN official meets with Tatar, Anastasiades
A SENIOR United Nations official visited both leaders as part of preparations for the “five-plus-UN informal meeting” that is to be held in Geneva, Switzerland, from April 27-29.
Jane Holl Lute met President Ersin Tatar for a oneand-half hour working lunch held at the Presidency in Lefkoşa. Members of Mr Tatar’s Cyprus talks negotiating team were also in attendance.
Prior to her meeting with Mr Tatar, Ms Lute met separately with Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades last Sunday.
President Tatar made a statement to the press following the meeting, in which he said that he had been told by Ms Lute that the Geneva gathering will be first international meeting to be attended by
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“This shows the importance attributed by the Secretary-General to the Cyprus issue,” he said.
“This will be the first time we are going there to say something new. Cyprus is not the old Cyprus, and the eastern Mediterranean is not the old eastern
Mediterranean. . . The conditions have changed. International relations are now based on different dimensions. We will be going to this meeting fully prepared. After I was elected, a new will of the people has arisen and this is a will supported by the majority of the public.”
Stating that the Turkish Cypriot side will be going to Geneva to make the necessary “openings” and convey their new ideas to the UN and the interested parties at the negotiating table, Mr Tatar continued: “TRNC founding President Rauf Denktaş also talked about the cooperation of states based on sovereign equality during his tenure. But at that time, they were discussing this within the framework of a federation. However, it has now transpired that this would not be acceptable in a federationbased agreement.
“Therefore, a just, sustainable settlement in Cyprus would only be possible on the basis of cooperation of two States, coexisting side-by-side with sovereign equality. . . Our position is clear and unambiguous. The Turkish Cypriot side has made many evaluations regarding this issue.
“We are closely following the perception of the public with the meetings and contacts I have continued to
have with political party leaders, non-governmental organisations, former foreign ministers and various institutions, and of course members of the public.
“I have notified Ms Lute that the Turkish Cypriot people have always wanted an agreement in Cyprus on the basis of equality, but after the failure of federalbased negotiations for over 50 years, I have been elected as the President to obtain a viable and sustainable settlement that is mutually respected.”
Stating that he was meeting Ms Lute for the last
time before travelling to Geneva, Mr Tatar expressed his “gratitude and thanks” for her “tireless efforts in organising the informal meeting”.
Greek Cypriot Government spokesman Kyriakos Kousios said in a statement that Ms Lute informed Mr Anastasiades “about the procedure and organisational matters” of the fiveparty conference that will be held in Geneva.
Mr Kousios said the Greek Cypriot side is committed to the “UN parameters for a bizonal bicommunal federal settlement”.