Turkish Cypriot side renewed its opposition to a federal solution ahead of New York contacts

Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar`s Special Representative Ergün Olgun said that even if the circumstances suggest the realization of a federal partnership in Cyprus it would be questionable. “We support real peace, stability and cooperation on the island and in the region and invite the Greek Cypriot side to negotiate a realistic and constructive goal based on the acquired equal rights of both parties”, Olgun is cited as saying.

In a written statement, Olgun referred to the established political partnership models and pointed to the importance of the necessity for consensus-based decision-making between attained equal parties with different identities. “This is essential, especially for bilateral political partnerships, thus this necessity was observed in the 1960 partnership Republic of Cyprus”, Olgun said adding that decision-making requirements, in such political partnerships, differ from the majority decision-making method of a unitary state.

However, the Greek Cypriot side is trying to impose a majority decision-making mechanism on the Turkish Cypriot side as they see Cyprus as a Hellenic island and believe that they have more rights using the excuse of their numerical superiority (specific to unitary states) trying to impose a decision-making mechanism on the Turkish Cypriot side.

It is not possible to establish and sustain a political partnership based on a federation policy with the Greek Cypriot side with its obsession for superiority, which has almost entered the DNA of the Greek Cypriot people, Olgun said adding that bilateral federal partnerships consisting of different identities are already the most complicated political partnerships to ratify.

It is questionable whether a federal partnership in Cyprus could be realized or viable with the current circumstances, he said.

Olgun continued by saying that taking all of these into account, the Turkish Cypriot side has put forward a rational and pragmatic vision that also foresees the institutional cooperation between the two sides on the island.

This vision, he said will not give room for one side to be superior to the other side of the island.

It foresees a reconciliation based on institutional cooperation based on sovereign equality and equal international status of the two existing states without any opportunity for superiority.