President Ersin Tatar received the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Representative and Chief of Mission for the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) Colin Stewart.
The discussions focused on the ongoing property disputes between the two sides, with President Tatar expressing strong concerns over recent developments.
Following the talks, both President Tatar and Colin Stewart made separate statements to the press.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, President Ersin Tatar highlighted the unacceptable nature of the arrests and imprisonment of Turkish Cypriots in South Cyprus over property issues.
He emphasized the importance of resolving these matters at the state level through the Immovable Property Commission (IPC),which he reminded was recognized by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) as an effective domestic remedy.
Reflecting on his recent meeting in London with Maria Angela Holguin, the Personal Representative of the UN Secretary-General, President Tatar reiterated that any new negotiation process can only commence if there is recognition of sovereign equality and equal international status for the Turkish Cypriots.
He stated that without acknowledging the Turkish Cypriot community as an equal party, there could be no common ground for negotiations.
Furthermore, he expressed scepticism about the willingness of the Greek Cypriots to share the island’s wealth and governance on an equal basis.
President Tatar also underscored the importance of the rights to direct flights, direct trade, and direct contacts—referred to as the “3Ds.”
He lamented that despite promises made during the Annan Plan period, the Turkish Cypriot community continues to suffer from these restrictions.
Pointing out that his discussions with the UN Special Representative had also focused on the recent arrests made of individuals who purchased or developed property in North Cyprus, , President Tatar criticized the recent actions of pursuing and arresting individuals over property matters, which he deemed unacceptable and legally baseless.
He conveyed these concerns to Stewart in detail, stressing that the IPC provides remedies such as compensation, restitution, or exchange for properties left in the north by Greek Cypriots.
President Tatar also emphasized that property disputes could only be resolved through an inter-state agreement and expressed the administration’s determination to raise international awareness of these issues through various governmental and political channels.
Also speaking to reporters following his meeting with Tatar, the UN Special Representative Colin Stewart, mentioned that he would be travelling to New York over the weekend and would brief the UN Security Council on July 11.
He said he planned to return to Cyprus in early August.
Stewart indicated that their discussion would inform the main topics of his upcoming briefing and the report to the Security Council.
He voiced concerns about the increasing militarization of the buffer zone by both sides, noting the lack of progress in de-escalating tensions despite the Security Council’s calls for mutual restraint.
