President Ersin Tatar held a press conference at Ercan International Airport following his return from the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF).

The President was accompanied by Parliamentary Speaker Ziya Öztürkler, Minister of Labour and Social Security Sadık Gardiyanoğlu and Special Representative Güneş Onar.

The President drew attention to the Fourth Edition of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, that was held at the Nest International Convention Centre from 11 to 13 April, under the theme “Reclaiming Diplomacy in a Fragmented World”.  

President Tatar said: “I and my delegation had an opportunity to explain our perspective on the Cyprus issue, the injustice faced by the Turkish Cypriot People who are continuing to be deprived of their basic human rights, and our new two State position in meetings with heads of state, ministers, officials and the representatives of international bodies, as well as in my press interviews there.”

President Tatar pointed out that there were heads of state, ministers and officials from 60 different countries who attended the ADF, where international issues and challenges faced by humanity were discussed at different panels and meetings.

“I wish to reiterate my gratitude to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for inviting me, and to congratulate Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan, for organising such an important diplomatic event, which has become the shining star of Turkish diplomacy,” President Tatar said.

President Tatar stressed that the “Turkish Cypriot people are struggling against an inhumane isolation that is preventing direct flights, direct trade and direct contact, so it is very important to participate in such prominent international organisations such as the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, and to explain the just cause of the Turkish Cypriot People”.

Recalling that President Erdoğan had drawn attention to the Cyprus issue in his speech at the official opening ceremony of the ADF, President Tatar said that the Turkish President had “underlined that the Republic of Türkiye is working for the reaffirmation of the sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Cypriot People”.

Stating that he had again met with Rosemary DiCarlo,  UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, within the scope of the ADF, President Tatar said: “We discussed the Cyprus issue and the six topics that have been agreed at the informal meeting on Cyprus in a broader format in Geneva, as well as the meeting I had with the Greek Cypriot Leader Nikos Christodoulides, on April 2.”

Stating that “work is continuing to be carried out in many areas, including on the issue of opening new crossing points,” President Tatar said: “I underlined particularly the importance of opening new crossing points during my meeting with Ms. DiCarlo, and expressed the hope that progress can be made in this area.”

“We are hopeful that some progress will be made with the visit to the Island of Maria Angela Holguin Cuellar, the soon-to-be announced Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary General,” President Tatar said.

President Tatar stated that he had conveyed to Ms. DiCarlo that in addition to the isolation, investors are being apprehended, and now, Turkish Cypriot business people are not being allowed to enter other countries, which is not acceptable.

“I have expressed our great disappointment and discomfort of this situation," President Tatar said.  "Whilst we are trying to open a new page on the Island and to create a culture of cooperation between the two sides, some business people are being apprehended. . . Turkish Cypriot business people are being prevented from entering other countries. I have asked my complaints on this matter, which will only lead to tension and undermine our efforts on trust-building and progressing on the initiatives, to be conveyed to the UN Secretary-General.”

President Tatar added that he had also raised this issue with Hakan Fidan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, of the Republic of Türkiye, during the meeting of the two at the ADF.

President Tatar stated that he had also met with İlham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Secretary General of the Organisation of Turkic States (TDT) Kubanychbek Omuraliev, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Guinea Morissanda Kouyaté, the Secretary General of the International Turkic Cultural Organisation (TURKSOY) Sultan Raev, and other state officials.

Emphasising that the Antalya Diplomacy Forum has become an organisation that has “grown and become more institutionalised”, President Tatar reiterated his gratitude to President Erdoğan, and the Minister Fidan, for inviting him to this important diplomatic event.