President Erdoğan: No project which disregards Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus can be implemented in the East Mediterranean

 

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Prime Minister Ersin Tatar of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus held a joint press conference following their meeting at the Presidential Complex.

Expressing his pleasure to host TRNC Prime Minister Tatar in Turkey on the occasion of his first official foreign visit after taking office, President Erdoğan underlined that Turkey will continue to support the TRNC’s efforts aimed at ensuring its own safety and welfare.

“We will continue to defend the Turkish Cypriots’ rights and interests in the island and region as determinedly as we defend our own rights”, said President Erdoğan, and continued: “The Greek Cypriots’ intransigent stance is the reason why the problem in Cyprus has emerged and lingered on up until today. Likewise, the bloody attacks the Greek Cypriots conducted against our kinsmen in the island was the reason why Turkey intervened. Those who in the past tried to seize the island by shedding the Turkish Cypriot’s blood pursue the same goal today by means of political and economic attacks.”

President Erdoğan further stated: “It is a shame of the European Union that it sided with the Greek Cypriot side, which didn’t deliver on any of the promises it made to the United Nations and the international community regarding the resolution of the problem in the Island.” Recalling that the Greek Cypriot side was made a member of the EU even though it didn’t honor its promises in the referendum held during Kofi Anan’s term in office as Secretary-General of the United Nations, President Erdoğan pointed out that the promises made about financial issues were also not kept and that the same goes for today as well.

“WE WILL MAINTAIN OUR EXPLORATION ACTIVITIES IN THE EAST MEDITERRANEAN WITH THE SAME DETERMINATION”

Stressing that the EU, which announced so-called measures against Turkey and the TRNC because of Ankara’s hydrocarbon exploration in the East Mediterranean, harms itself as a result of this attitude of its, President Erdoğan said: “Besides its deep and historical ties with the island, Turkey is also one of the three guarantor countries and thus has the right to speak. It doesn’t interest us at all if those, who have no right to speak, attempt to take decisions there. We will maintain our exploration activities in the East Mediterranean with the same determination.”

Underscoring that the steps taken by the EU and the international community encourage the Greek Cypriots to side with deadlock, President Erdoğan said: “A solution hoped for by all in the island will be possible only if the Greek Cypriot side comes to a sincere and realistic reconciliation base. Until that day arrives, we, as Turkey, will continue to take steps with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in line with our roadmap. No project which disregards Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus can be implemented in the East Mediterranean.”

“WE WILL NOT STOP PURSUING THE CYPRUS ISSUE, WHICH WE SEE AS A NATIONAL CAUSE OF OURS”

“The Greek Cypriot side’s attitude which does not recognize the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus does not change the fact that there is a state and a society all together with its geography, population, culture, and political as well as economic rights,” President Erdoğan went on to say, and, referring to the East Mediterranean, added: “We are carrying out our works there, and will continue to do so. Because, we will not stop pursuing the Cyprus issue, which we see as a national cause of ours, until all the rights of our brothers and sisters therein, first and foremost their security and their political and economic rights, are entirely granted to them.”

TRNC PM TATAR: “TURKISH CYPRIOTS ALWAYS SIDE WITH PEACE AND AGREEMENT”

Prime Minister Tatar of the TRNC, for his part, voiced his belief that the cooperation between the two countries and Turkey’s support to the TRNC contribute to the creation of an environment where Turkish Cypriots live in prosperity and welfare. Further stressing that Turkish Cypriots always side with peace and agreement, the visiting Prime Minister underlined that what matters them the most is Turkey being a guarantor country.