The divide between UNSG envoy Maria Angela Holguin and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar became increasingly evident on Tuesday, when both went public with their grievances against each other.
Holguin, in an interview with Kibris Postasti said “I have to admit I was surprised by Ersin Tatar’s refusal to agree to a trilateral meeting,” which would include herself, Tatar and President Nikos Christodoulides.
The envoy added she had also proposed a 5+1 meeting to include the negotiators.
Holguin specified that Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan had been willing to listen “with an open mind.”
“I will not comment on specific proposals however I will continue to meet with parties, because I have not abandoned hope.”
In a subsequent interview, Tatar said he refused to sit at a table where Greek Cypriots would be classed as the Republic and the Turkish Cypriots would be a community.
He slammed Holguin’s meetings, saying “she cannot gauge public opinion going from door to door. She has no right. It’s not nice of her to go to the most extreme opponents and provoke, challenging the established order of the ‘country’.
“Frankly, I was annoyed by that… It’s Holguin’s duty to investigate if there is common ground. It is already clear that there is not.”
Among a number of visits with stakeholders, Holguin met with Sener Levent, journalist and editor-in-chief of the Turkish-Cypriot newspaper Avrupa. They met in a hotel in the Republic for around an hour, Avrupa reported.
She also held a meeting with former Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci.
Tatar went on to say that the Cyprus problem has not been solved for 60 years. Holguin will not solve it “with a magic wand.”
He added that without common ground, there is no point in holding meetings, and that Holguin does not understand the reality of Cyprus.
In her interview earlier, Holguin said she was surprised by Tatar’s refusal “because we must give diplomacy a chance. I believe dialogue is always necessary because it builds bridges and opens doors.
“Accumulated disappointments must be healed. Dialogue is always the first step to solving problems because people deserve to live without constant uncertainties and anomalies.”
Her statements reflected what she said in an interview to Kathimerini, in which she noted out the Christodoulides government had a “very clear picture of what could unlock the process.”
Earlier this week, she said she would be preparing a report after her third official visit, and meet with UNSG Antonio Guterres.
“Both sides should know that I take the impartiality of my mandate very seriously and should be confident in my commitment to reflect the truth fairly and accurately. As a way forward, I have requested a meeting in the 5+1 format with the two leaders and the two negotiators. This gesture is the least that can be done for the people of Cyprus.
