No progress can be made without recognizing 'realities on Cyprus', says TRNC president

GENEVA

Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Ersin Tatar on Monday underlined that no progress can be made without recognizing the "realities on Cyprus," ahead of an informal meeting in Geneva.

Speaking to reporters before a scheduled dinner in Geneva, Tatar stressed that the progress of the ongoing process depends on the stance of the Greek Cypriot administration.

"We will ask the international community and the UN to encourage them (Greek Cypriot administration) a little more for these collaborations," Tatar said, when asked if he expects continuation of this process.

"There are realities on Cyprus. Without recognizing the realities of Cyprus, no progress can be made," he said, adding: "We are here to maintain this position. We are looking forward."

He also expressed hope for a positive outcome from this process.

The Geneva meeting, set to take place Tuesday, brings together the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot leaders, along with representatives from the three guarantor states --Türkiye, Greece, and the United Kingdom – under the auspices of the UN. The meeting, set to take place at the UN Office in Geneva, aims to provide a platform for discussions on the way forward for the divided island over a decades-long dispute.

The participants will first gather Monday evening for a dinner hosted by UN chief Antonio Guterres for the heads of delegations. The attendees will include Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis and UK Minister of State for Europe, North America and Overseas Territories Stephen Doughty, along with Tatar and Greek Cypriot administration leader Nikos Christodoulides.

On Tuesday, the informal discussions will begin with an expanded-format meeting. The session will bring together all parties to exchange views and explore potential pathways toward a peaceful resolution of the Cyprus issue.

Tatar will hold a press briefing following the meeting, but no press conference or press stakeout from Guterres is expected at this time.

The meeting follows an informal dinner Guterres hosted with Tatar and Christodoulides in New York last October, during which the decision was made to hold a broader informal gathering.

Tatar has consistently advocated for a two-state solution, arguing that past efforts to reunify the island under a federal model have failed due to the Greek Cypriot administration’s reluctance to share power and resources.

Decades-long Cyprus problem

The Cyprus dispute has persisted for decades, with the island remaining divided since 1974 following a Greek-backed coup and Türkiye's subsequent military intervention. As a result, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was established in 1983.

There has been an on-and-off peace process in recent years, including a failed 2017 initiative in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, under the auspices of the guarantor countries.

The Greek Cypriot administration joined the European Union in 2004—the same year that Greek Cypriots rejected a UN plan to resolve the dispute in a referendum.

In the most recent attempt to break the deadlock, a three-day meeting was held in Geneva in April 2021. However, Guterres concluded that there was still not enough common ground to resume formal negotiations.