Tatar furious at Stewart’s parting remarks

Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar on Sunday night expressed his fury at outgoing United Nations special representative in Cyprus Colin Stewart’s interviews given to news outlets, in which he had criticised efforts towards a two-state solution to the Cyprus problem.

Stewart had told newspaper Phileleftheros that “first of all, there are not many people in the north who take a two-state solution seriously”.

“Some politicians support this solution and there is rhetorical support from Ankara. But you ask, how will this happen? There is no two-state solution. There is no scenario under which the north will turn into an independent state recognised by the international community. That is not going to happen,” he said.

He added that there are “two possibilities” for the future of the Cyprus problem – “either we solve the Cyprus problem and have some form of unification, or some arrangement between the two communities, or what is already happening will continue, with the north gradually being absorbed into Turkey”.

“We know that economically and politically, they are already dependent on Turkey. They have no other choice,” he added.

Tatar was incensed by these statements and reacted by saying that “the Turkish Cypriot side will remember [Stewart] as an official who, during his term, failed to fulfil his responsibility to increase trust between the two sides, undermined the perception of impartiality on some critical issues and, in particular, failed to show the necessary sensitivity to the legitimate humanitarian demands of our people”.

“The Turkish Cypriot side has repeatedly and clearly demonstrated its will for a solution. This vision is shaped by the reality of two separate peoples, two separate democracies, and two separate states in Cyprus. A lasting and just solution in Cyprus is only possible by taking the current reality as a basis,” he said.

As such, he said that Stewart’s view that there are “not many people … who take a two-state solution seriously” is “incompatible with the impartiality of the UN’s mission”.

“[I] have not only defended this framework for a solution on behalf of our people, but also repeatedly conveyed it to my international counterparts at the highest level,” he said, adding that “the Republic of Turkey’s full support for this vision is an example of solidarity, standing behind the legitimate rights of our people”.

He also criticised Stewart’s assessment of the situation which had unfolded near the buffer zone village of Pyla in 2023, when the Turkish Cypriot side attempted to build a road to link it with the nearby village of Arsos, in the north, UN peacekeepers attempted to prevent it from being built, and a peacekeeper was punched in the chaos which ensued.

Stewart had told newspaper Politis that the UN had realised in advance that it did not have the force to stop the road from being built, and as such attempted to salvage the situation.

“As a peacekeeping mission, we are not equipped to stop an army. We certainly did not believe we could ultimately prevent it and condemning them after the fact would not be very effective,” he said.

As such, he said, the UN had encouraged the two sides to attempt to find a compromise to prevent unilateral actions on the ground. He said the Turkish Cypriots had initially been receptive to discussion.

For this reason, he said, he had approached the Greek Cypriot side with the aim of convincing them to accept the construction of the road in exchange for “certain developments on the plateau above Pyla, which could take on a truly bicommunal character”.

“At first, as is absolutely classic, the reaction of the Greek Cypriots was ‘by no means, over our dead bodies’ – they refused to even discuss any kind of compromise. That was their position until about the last day before the machines started in the north. Then, they changed their minds,” he said.

He said that it was on the day before work was due to start that the Greek Cypriots agreed to talk, but that this was “too late”, as “things had already been set in motion and there was no way to reverse this decision”.

However, he said, “the Turkish side made a strategic mistake by attacking the peacekeepers”, and the international condemnation which ensued led them to withdraw.

Tatar’s version of events was somewhat different, describing Stewart as “the man who obstructed the process by transforming the road between Arsos and Pyla, a humanitarian demand voiced by our people for years, into an effort to reclaim territory for the Greek Cypriot side”.

Drawing his statements to a conclusion, Tatar said that “the UN’s primary function is not to dictate to the Turkish Cypriot people what to do”.

“Its true responsibility is to adopt a stance which respects the will of both sides and creates the necessary conditions for a solution. Any representative lacking these qualities cannot possibly foster an atmosphere of trust within the UN. Colin Stewart’s term in office requires a comprehensive assessment.”