Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar gave UN envoy Maria Angela Holguín plenty of food for thought during his one-hour meeting on Monday, raising a multitude of concerns.
Tatar took the opportunity to discuss a host of issues with the UN Secretary-General’s personal envoy, from the fundamentals of the Cyprus problem to President Nikos Christodoulides’ “negative stance” in meetings, down to the issue of mixed marriages, crossing points, diplomatic isolation and conditions at the Nicosia Central Prisons.
‘Status and inequality’
According to CNA, quoting Turkish Cypriot media reports, Tatar told Holguin of Christodoulides’ “persistently negative stance” at the informal five-party meeting in New York in July, noting that his Greek Cypriot interlocutor was unwilling to cooperate with the “TRNC” on various matters.
On the effort to reconcile the two sides in Cyprus, Tatar argued that the issue was essentially one of status and inequality.
“As founding partners of the Republic of Cyprus, we maintain our presence on this island with our own sovereign rights. We continue to face injustice, oppressive conditions that make our lives difficult, with isolation, obstacles, restrictions, even embargoes in various matters,” he said.
To reach a fair, lasting and sustainable agreement on the Cyprus Problem, this “inequality of status” must be eliminated and “the sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Cypriots must be recognized,” he said.
Conditions at the Central Prisons
Tatar also brought up the Nicosia Central Prisons with the visiting UN official, noting that some families had complained to him that both the conditions and behaviors there are “miserable”. He asked that Holguin look into the matter to make sure that Turkish Cypriots serving sentences there are treated humanely.
Trade envoy’s resignation
Regarding the recent visit of British MP Afzal Khan to the north and his subsequent resignation as UK Trade Envoy at the British Embassy in Turkey, Tatar described the Greek Cypriot reaction as “unacceptable”.
“It was a visit by a Member of Parliament – not the first of its kind – and what he suffered caused shame and genuine sorrow, given the values of the democratic and modern world.”
'Crossings need to cut across both sides'
The Turkish Cypriot leader bemoaned the fact that Greek Cypriots widely believe he will be voted out of office on October 19, and his replacement will resume peace talks based on a federation.
However, his own concern is the need to reduce traffic congestion and long queues at the Agios Dhometios crossing point. While the Turkish Cypriot authorities have three lines at the crossing, there is only one lane on the other side, he noted.
Tatar pointed to his proposal for new crossing points at Mia Milia and Louroujina, bemoaning the fact that the Greek Cypriot side wants the Louroujina crossing “to pass from one point of the buffer zone to another” instead of cutting across the dividing line from one side to the other.
This insistence is preventing the opening of four crossing points across the buffer zone, said Tatar, suggesting Greek Cypriots want to create tension ahead of the Turkish Cypriot leadership elections.
Children of mixed marriages
Tatar also raised the issue of children of mixed marriages who were being deprived of Cyprus Republic and therefore European citizenship. He argued that this was tantamount to “discrimination, a violation of human rights violations and of European institutions”.
Guterres objective and sincere
On the UNSG, Tatar described Antonio Guterres as objective and sincere, noting his consistent desire to improve relations between the two sides so that they may reach a better point. “And, God willing, to find common ground in the future and perhaps even start an official negotiation process,” he said.
Holguin working and hoping
For her part, speaking after the meeting, Holguín said she would continue working and hoping for the resumption of peace talks. The envoy said she discussed the planned trilateral in New York between Tatar, Christodoulides and Guterres.
According to the government, the UN has proposed September 27 as the date for the trilateral, though CNA quoted Tatar saying on Monday that he agreed to attend the trilateral on September 26.
Holguin said she and Tatar also discussed "the importance of trying to put people together for the future” through the bicommunal technical committees.
“This is what the Committees are doing and doing very well," she added.
Holguin is due to meet with the newly established Bicommunal Youth Committee on Tuesday, which "both leaders are supporting very strongly and I think this is a very positive thing".
The former Colombian diplomat said she would also meet with the chambers of commerce and the two negotiators separately during her stay in Cyprus, as well as visit cemeteries undergoing restoration.
