Turkey-Greece relations could improve but Cyprus policy stays the same

Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar emphasized that while relations between Turkey and Greece have the potential to bring mutual benefits, Turkey’s policy on Cyprus remains unchanged. Tatar made these remarks in an interview with a Turkish Cypriot news agency, according to the Turkish Cypriot Press (CTP).

Discussing his recent trip to Australia, Tatar noted the ongoing correspondence between the Greek Cypriot side and the Australian government following his meeting with an Australian minister. He stated that the Australian government responded by affirming that “no one would prevent anyone from meeting with their own community,” a stance welcomed by Tatar.

Tatar highlighted that although he did not hold an official meeting in Australia as a representative of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus ''TRNC'', this visit marked the first time a Turkish Cypriot leader traveled there in the capacity of “president” to meet with his “people.”

In his discussions with former Australian Foreign Minister and UN Special Representative for Cyprus, Alexander Downer, Tatar was informed of Downer’s previous unsuccessful efforts to secure a visa for former Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat to visit Australia. Downer congratulated Tatar on achieving this milestone as the “president of the democracy.”

Tatar also noted the lack of an official "TRNC" office in Australia, mentioning that the estimated 60,000 Turkish Cypriots in Australia have requested Turkish embassies to extend protocol services to them.

Addressing the role of the UN Secretary General’s personal envoy, Tatar reiterated the Turkish Cypriot side’s stance that the envoy’s tasks are limited to exploring common ground for negotiation. He expressed concern that there might be attempts to exceed these duties, questioning the necessity of extending the envoy’s mandate without common ground for negotiations.

Tatar affirmed that Turkish Cypriots seek recognition of their sovereign equality and equal international status before any negotiations commence, stressing that this position remains firm.

In response to a question, Tatar announced that he will brief political parties in the “parliament” on the latest developments in the Cyprus problem next Monday, following a request from the People's Party (PKK) MPs.