INTERVIEW: Geneva talks indicate two-state policy gaining ground: TRNC President Tatar

The two-state policy for Cyprus supported by the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) is steadily gaining international momentum, TRNC President Ersin Tatar said, hailing the significant steps taken during Tuesday's talks in Geneva.

The informal meeting convened by the UN brought together the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot leaders, along with representatives from the three guarantor states – Türkiye, Greece, and the UK.

“We are here with a very constructive approach,” Tatar told Anadolu after the meeting, acknowledging the robust support from Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and his team.

“Türkiye's presence here is crucial for us. From the very beginning, I suggested that this should not just be a bilateral discussion but one where both motherlands participate, allowing the Turkish Cypriots to be strongly represented and ensuring that we can protect our rights and legal interests in every possible way.”

This approach, which moves beyond the concept of a federal solution, has now become a reality, he emphasized.

Reflecting on past negotiation efforts, Tatar said: “We know very well what happened during the Annan Plan and Crans-Montana, and how all opportunities were exhausted. That is why we say it is time to open a new page.”

While the last informal meeting in Geneva in April 2021 concluded without identifying common ground, the very invitation extended to the TRNC to participate in these new talks suggests growing acknowledgment of the two-state policy, he added.

“Today, even though we know there is no common ground, the fact that we were still invited here shows that our policy is gaining ground,” Tatar said.

- ‘Seeds of culture of cooperation'

Tatar emphasized that cooperation between the two peoples and two states on the island remains essential for achieving any lasting solution in Cyprus.

“Before this, however, a culture of cooperation must be developed,” he said. “Today, the seeds of this culture of cooperation have been sown here.”

Highlighting the active involvement of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Tatar praised several tangible achievements reached during the Geneva talks.

Among these developments were agreements to open four new crossing points, establish a technical committee dedicated to youth issues, and initiate collaborative efforts to address environmental and climate change challenges, including management of mining areas, solar energy projects within the buffer zone, and restoration of cemeteries.

“These are important steps and developments,” Tatar said.

UN chief Guterres on Tuesday announced plans to host another similar meeting at the end of July, highlighting progress made in Geneva.

He said discussions took place in a “constructive atmosphere, with both sides showing clear commitment to making progress and continuing dialogue.”

Guterres also revealed that a personal envoy would soon be appointed to facilitate the next steps, highlighting optimism for continued diplomatic progress.

“It's a new atmosphere,” he remarked. “It's important to note that even before Crans-Montana (talks), and we are talking about 2017 until now, there was no real progress on any aspect, and today there was meaningful progress.”

- Decades-long Cyprus Problem

Cyprus has remained embroiled in an enduring dispute between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, despite multiple diplomatic efforts spearheaded by the UN aimed at achieving a comprehensive resolution.

Ethnic attacks beginning in the early 1960s forced Turkish Cypriots to withdraw into enclaves for their safety. A pivotal moment came in 1974, when a Greek Cypriot coup aimed at annexing the island to Greece triggered Türkiye's military intervention as a guarantor power, protecting Turkish Cypriots from persecution and violence.

This intervention subsequently led to the establishment of the TRNC in 1983. Despite an on-and-off peace process in recent years, including the failed 2017 Crans-Montana initiative, progress remains elusive. The Greek Cypriot administration entered the EU in 2004 – the same year Greek Cypriots rejected and blocked a UN-backed referendum aimed at resolving the dispute.

The most recent attempt was the April 2021 talks in Geneva, a three-day informal meeting that also failed to find common ground necessary to resume formal negotiations. During these discussions, Greek Cypriots maintained their stance in favor of a bizonal federation – the basis of past UN-led negotiations – while Turkish Cypriots stood firm on their demand for a two-state solution.