President Erdoğan: Maraş region will be the symbol of the peaceful and prosperous future of the Cyprus island

 

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who is in Lefkosa, the capital city of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), for an official visit, delivered a speech at the July 20 Peace and Freedom Day ceremony.

“Turkey and the TRNC have made all kinds of sincere efforts since the beginning to reach a just and lasting solution in the island,” President Erdoğan underscored, and said: “The Greek side is insistent to maintain its unreal, maximalist, insincere and spoilt approach. In addition, they have no intention of changing their approaches, questioning themselves or exerting sincere efforts for a just resolution. Whatever intentions they had in the past, they look at the issue in the same perspective today.”

Also drawing attention to the Bürgenstock talks regarding the Annan Plan, President Erdoğan stressed that the European Union had yet to fulfill the promises it had made, and noted: “They called me the other day and said exactly the following, ‘You are to make a speech in the TRNC on July 20. It won’t be a disturbing speech, will it?’ We will definitely not ask for permission from you to do it. And now today, all the enemies of Turks will come together with Mitsotakis in the US, and make a kind of responsive speech to us, via videoconference probably. Let them do whatever they want. We are giving our message. We are right. And that is why we will protect our rights to the end. They are not democrats. Their rhetoric for rights and freedom is binding for them only until they benefit it.”

“THERE ARE TWO PEOPLES AND TWO STATES OF EQUAL STATUS IN CYPRUS”

Stating that new negotiations regarding Cyprus could only be carried out between two states, President Erdoğan continued as follows: “And to this regard, first of all, the sovereign equality and equal status of the Turkish Cypriots must be acknowledged. This is the key to the solution. Saying that, ‘There is no two-state solution,’ means ignoring the sovereignty, equality, independence, state and gains of the Turkish Cypriot people. No one should ever expect the Turkish Cypriots to give up their vested rights, equal status or sovereignty, and to live as a minority under the will and control of the Greek side.” 

Underscoring that without acknowledging that there were two peoples and two states of equal status but of different religions, languages and cultures in Cyprus, no progress would be made in negotiations, President Erdoğan noted that it was now an obligation, rather than a choice, to reach a resolution based on these facts.

Stating that the policy pursued by Turkey and the TRNC was a manifestation of a political stability, President Erdoğan said: “Thus, with the timely and efficient steps, the games have been foiled and the mold has been broke regarding the Cyprus issue. I congratulate President Tatar and the TRNC government for the resolute stance they have been displaying concerning the Maraş issue despite all the counter propaganda carried out by the Greek side.”

“A NEW ERA WILL BEGIN IN MARAŞ FROM NOW ON”

Stressing that life in Maraş would restart with the decision announced by TRNC President Ersin Tatar, President Erdoğan went on to say: “In the light of the works carried out by respecting the property rights, a new era, in which everyone will benefit, will begin in Maraş from now on. The fact that the opening will first occur in a pilot area, which corresponds to the 3.5 per cent of  the closed Maraş, shows how sensitive the Turkish Cypriot officials handle this issue. The Maraş region, which has for years been inactive, will be the symbol of the peaceful and prosperous future of the Cyprus island, not of the deadlock. With the steps to be taken hereafter, there will be no more injustices in Maraş, but on the contrary the current ones will be corrected. We do not have an eye on anyone’s lands, rights or properties. Likewise, no one can usurp the rights of Turkey or the TRNC.”

“TURKEY AND TRNC WILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO PROTECT THEIR RIGHTS”

Further stressing that Turkey was determined to protect the rights and interests of both itself and the TRNC, President Erdoğan said: “Our desire is that the region is remembered with tranquility, peace, stability, cooperation and prosperity. To that end, we put forward constructive proposals, and also make offers to make use of the opportunities together. Our offer for an Eastern Mediterranean Conference, in which all the parties will participate, is one of the manifestation of our will to this regard. Just like the offer the Turkish Cypriots has made for cooperation regarding the fair sharing of the hydrocarbon resources, this offer is still on the table, but the Greek side, which has turned a deaf ear to all the offers of cooperation of the Turkish Cypriots, has announced that they would restart drilling activities in the autumn. I leave it to the conscience of the international community who carries out unilateral activities and escalate tensions. We as Turkey and the TRNC will do whatever it takes to protect our rights. It is our duty to show those, who assume they can make our countries leave our path, the truths in every area, diplomacy and economy in particular. “

Stating that they knew that today’s visit was annoying some circles both at home and abroad, President Erdoğan noted: “These circles have since the very beginning done everything to cast a shadow over our visit and this historic joy of Eid of ours. Indeed, as I have previously mentioned, some circles in the US have taken action under the pretext of strengthening relations with the Greek Cypriots. Some people, among whom are well-known enemies of Turkey, held a conference to display their support for the Greek Cypriots and Greece against so-called Turkish aggression.” 

CEREMONY AT ATATÜRK MONUMENT

Before the July 20 Peace and Freedom Day ceremony, President Erdoğan and TRNC President Tatar laid wreaths at the Atatürk Monument in Lefkosa. After observing a moment of silence and singing the Independence March, President Erdoğan wrote in the Book of Honor at the monument following: “August Atatürk, today we are in the TRNC to mark the 47th anniversary of Cyprus Peace Operation, which we conducted together with the Turkish Cypriots by joining forces and hearts, and to observe holy Eid al-Adha. The visit, which we are paying in a period during which critical developments are taking place regarding the island, is the sign of the importance we as the motherland attach to the tranquility, well-being and future of the TRNC. Just as the Turkish nation ran to the help of the Turkish Cypriots facing a threat of massacre 47 years ago, we will continue to stand by our Cypriot brothers and sisters with all our means in hand today and tomorrow as well. We will determinedly continue our struggle until we achieve victory in the Turkish Cypriot’s cause for rights, justice and freedom at international level. Rest in peace!”