Tatar Claims Athens and Tel Aviv Oppose His Leadership Due to Ties with Ankara

In an interview ahead of Sunday's elections in the north, Tatar reiterates support for two-state solution

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With just days to go before the upcoming 'presidential elections' in the north, Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar has once again reiterated his firm support for a two-state solution, while lashing out against Athens, Tel Aviv, and the Greek Cypriot leadership.

In an interview with Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency, the Turkish Cypriot leader described the 19 October vote as “extremely critical,” claiming that he is up against a “bloc aligned with the mentality of the Greek Cypriot administration,” which, he alleged, “has for years attacked both Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots.”

Tatar argued that decades of negotiations for a federal solution have yielded no results, despite concessions that, according to him, former Turkish Cypriot leaders Mehmet Ali Talat and Mustafa Akıncı were willing to make.

Turkey's presence 'crucial'

“The Greek Cypriots want the whole of Cyprus. Federation means sitting back down with the Greek Cypriots and removing the Turkish army. Our people must never allow that. Our existence depends on Turkey’s presence here,” he stated.

Tatar warned that a win for pro-federation candidates would constitute “a short-term gain but a strategic mistake,” expressing confidence that “the people will make the right choice.”

He also accused President Nikos Christodoulides of being “frustrated” by his firm stance and claimed that the Greek Cypriot media “constantly writes that I will lose, in order to portray the return of Tufan Erhürman to negotiations as Christodoulides’ achievement.”

“This is all being done so that Christodoulides can show his people that he forced the Turkish Cypriot leadership back to the negotiating table,” he asserted.

Israel 'arming Nicosia'

Tatar went on to highlight what he described as increasing international engagement with the breakaway entity, particularly from the Islamic world.

According to him, during many of his visits abroad, he represents the self-declared “TRNC” using its own “flag and constitutional name.” He claimed that thanks to Turkey’s unwavering support, the “TRNC” is overcoming the hurdles of so-called international sanctions and isolation.

“Interest from the Turkish and Islamic world is growing by the day. The standard of living in the TRNC continues to rise, and the future looks hopeful,” Tatar said.

On the issue of regional security, Tatar made further unsubstantiated claims, alleging that “many Israelis are settling in Greek Cypriot areas for security reasons,” and that Israel is arming Nicosia – a development he claims is causing concern even among Greek Cypriots.

“Its economy, reliant on tourism and banking, cannot sustain this level of armament,” he said, accusing Christodoulides of becoming entangled in “grand schemes that exceed his capacity.”

Tel Aviv and Athens ‘want me gone’

Tatar concluded his remarks with a direct accusation against Greece and Israel, stating they “do not want me leading this state” because of his close alignment with Ankara.

“Tel Aviv and Athens don’t want me in power because I stand firm with Turkey against their plans. I disrupt their game. Why would they want me?” he asked rhetorically.

He went so far as to link the situation in Cyprus with developments in Gaza, arguing that the principle of two states represents “the most logical and realistic solution for the coexistence of two peoples.”

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