Turkish Cyprus leader to meet UN envoy, promote two-state solution

The president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) is expected to highlight a two-state solution during a meeting with the U.N.'s special envoy to Cyprus.

According to Turkish Cypriot presidential sources, Ersin Tatar is expected to meet Jane Holl Lute on Jan. 11 at 14:00 local time.

Lute will meet Greek Cypriot Administration leader Nicos Anastasiades on Monday morning.

The meetings will come ahead of an expected 5 + 1 informal meeting on Cyprus which is planned to be held under the leadership of the U.N. soon.

The island of Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when a Greek Cypriot coup was followed by violence against the island's Turks and Ankara's intervention as a guarantor power.

It has seen an on-and-off peace process in recent years, including a failed 2017 initiative in Switzerland under the auspices of guarantor countries Turkey, Greece and the U.K. The TRNC was founded in 1983.

Tatar is expected to convey clear and determined messages to Lute about the Turkish side's stance before a possible negotiation process that could begin on the Mediterranean island, according to the sources.

The Turkish Cypriot leader will explain in detail the model based on two separate states on the basis of sovereign equality advocated by the Turkish side in the Cyprus issue.

During the meeting, he is expected to tell the U.N. envoy that the negotiations cannot start from where they left off in Crans-Montana, Switzerland and talks on a new federation are out of the question.

The 2017 Crans-Montana Conference held with the participation of the guarantor countries ended in failure.

According to the sources, Tatar will note that the Turkish Cypriots have developed their position on the Cyprus issue...