Cyprus calls on new Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar to support UN-led peace initiative

Duvar English

Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades has congratulated new Turkish Cypriot President Ersin Tatar on his election victory and urged him to support a new United Nations-led peace initiative.

Tatar, who controversially received the open backing of Ankara during the election campaign, won the presidential election runoff on Oct. 18 with almost 52 percent of votes.

“The verdict of our compatriots to elect Mr Ersin Tatar as the new leader of the Turkish Cypriot community is fully respected,” Anastasiades said.

“I congratulate Mr Tatar and look forward to a familiarity meeting as soon as possible,” he added in a statement.

Tatar is a supporter of separate administrations on the Mediterranean island which split after a 1974 Turkish invasion in response to a brief Greek-inspired coup.

Outgoing president Mustafa Akıncı, whose relations with Ankara had been strained, had been a supporter of reunification.

As well as having an impact on inter-island talks, the election result may also affect negotiations over the contested maritime claims in the eastern Mediterranean, which has Turkey at odds with Greece and Cyprus.

Anastasiades said he was “ready and determined” to respond to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres’ “intention to take a new initiative to resolve the Cyprus issue as soon as possible.”

Anastasiades said he hopes Tatar will show the same willingness to ensure that reunification talks resume after a three-year hiatus.

Guterres had previously said that he would resume peace talks following the results of the elections in the north of Cyprus.

The last attempt at UN-mediated negotiations collapsed in Switzerland in July 2017.