Opposition Republican Turkish Party (CTP) leader Tufan Erhürman criticized the incumbent leader Ersin Tatar’s ‘two-state solution’ policy, arguing this would lead to a loss of rights for Turkish Cypriots across the island.
Speaking in a television interview on Monday, Erhürman rejected Tatar’s position of ‘sovereign equality’, noting that while the leaders of the two communities may have equal status in the negotiations, the situation changes drastically outside of that context.
“As soon as we leave the table, on one side we have the president of a recognized EU and UN member state, and on the other, the president of an unrecognized state. Equality in the international arena is lost,” he said.
The CTP leader further argued that the two-state solution puts essential rights - such as those related to hydrocarbons - at risk.
“If there are two separate states, one in the north and one in the south, and hydrocarbons are found in the south, how will you continue to claim rights?” he asked.
According to Erhürman, the model of two politically equal constituent states (within a federation) ensures the participation of Turkish Cypriots in decisions affecting all of Cyprus.
Elsewhere, Erhürman was quoted by Cyprus News Agency saying that his proposal for the resumption of talks on the Cyprus problem is based on UN principles: political equality, timetables, acceptance of the convergences already achieved, and guarantees that Turkish Cypriots will not return to the current status quo if the Greek Cypriot side walks away from the talks.
Regarding relations with Ankara, the CTP leader said that negotiations on the Cyprus issue have always been and will continue to be conducted in consultation with Turkey.
“Turkey is a guarantor power. None of the four previous leaders ever negotiated without consulting the Republic of Turkey. The processes always moved forward in parallel with Turkey, and that is how it will continue,” he said.
Erhürman criticized Tatar for not using his position to tackle the human rights violations against children from mixed marriages by their exclusion from Cyprus Republic and thereby European citizenship.
He indicated that if successful in the October 19 elections, he would play a more active role on economic issues, using his office to negotiate with the EU for the removal of trade barriers through the Green Line, on the Direct Trade Regulation, and on direct flights.
For his part, Tatar issued a statement blaming the Greek Cypriot side for lack of any peace process, noting their refusal to accept the sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Cypriots.
“The federal basis has been tested time and again; it has failed, and it is now exhausted. My vision is for a new, results-oriented process based on the cooperative relationship between two states, based on sovereign equality and equal international status,” said Tatar.
According to CNA, former Turkish Cypriot negotiator Kudret Özersay said on Monday that the Turkish Cypriot leadership election would be a two-horse race between Erhürman and Tatar.
Leader of the People’s Party (HP) Özersay said the latest poll in his hands, conducted end-July, revealed that the two main candidates were currently running “neck-and-neck” in the race, adding that the result will likely be decided in a second round.
Meanwhile, a third independent candidate Mehmet Hasgüler dismissed both the federal and two-state settlement models as “illusions,” arguing instead that the solution to the Cyprus problem lies in returning to the Republic of Cyprus.