President Erdoğan: The Cyprus cause belongs to the entire Turkish nation
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan addressed the Republican Assembly of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) as part of the official visit he is paying to the country at the invitation of TRNC President Ersin Tatar.
Underlining that the Republican Assembly represents the Turkish Cypriots’ perseverance, will, and passion for liberty, President Erdoğan stated that the Republican Assembly, through the solidarity it has shown thus far, has inspired courage and hope among the Turkish Cypriot people.
Thanks to Turkey’s firm support as well as the efforts of the members of the Republican Assembly, the Turkish Cypriots have never lost their confidence in their just cause despite all the hardships they have faced, said the President. “Becoming the voice of the Turkish Cypriot people’s fight for rights and freedom, the Republican Assembly has added strength to the Cyprus cause. I hereby extend once again my gratitude to all the members of the Assembly who have upheld the Cyprus cause since its formation, have defended the Turkish Cypriots’ rights and have not spoiled the legacy of our Cypriot brothers and sisters. I wish Allah’s mercy upon deputies who have served as a representative of the Turkish Cypriot people at the Republican Assembly but are not with us today.”
“CYPRUS CAUSE IS A GREAT CAUSE”
Wishing the members of the Parliament success, President Erdoğan said: “The Cyprus cause has come to these days on your shoulders. It will continue to rise on your shoulders in the future as well.”
“The Cyprus cause is a great cause. It is great in terms of its history, its conscience, its struggle. It is the cause of a great nation that made history with its epic heroism in 1974. The Cyprus cause belongs to the entire Turkish nation,” President Erdoğan underscored.
Noting that Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots reached these days thanks to the sacrifices they made, President Erdoğan said: “Despite all the betrayals, double standards and attacks we suffered in the past 50 years, we have never lost our resolve. We have never remained silent in the face of injustice, yielded to oppression or unlawfulness. We believed in the Lord, trusted the people and relied on not others but our own strength. Those, who trusted the powers behind them and thought they could destroy the Turkish Cypriots faced the steel will of the Turkish Cypriots.”
“TRNC’S EXISTENCE AND UNITY ARE ABOVE ALL KINDS OF POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS”
Underscoring that the existence and unity of the TRNC are above all kinds of political considerations, President Erdoğan expressed his belief that the Republican Assembly would determinedly take necessary steps to invigorate the economy and strengthen the financial structure, and added: “Rest assured that we will stand by you with all your works. Even though the climate of unity, solidarity and brotherhood we display here is annoying some circles in the US, we will continue to resolutely walk on this path. While saying that there will be no more difficulties, and that there are much better days ahead of us, we closely follow those who seek to once again stir up trouble by creating common grounds with some circles in the US, and know very well who they are. I will touch upon these issues during my speech tomorrow.”
“THE GREEK CYPRIOTS HAVE NEVER CONSIDERED THE TURKISH CYPRIOTS TO BE THEIR EQUAL PARTNERS”
“We invite those who have been seeing the Cyprus issue solely from the perspective of a lobby for years to take a stance that is in line with justice and the facts of the island. We know quite well who occupies the island and who represents the mentality of occupation in the island. The Greek Cypriots, who have not refrained from targeting the honor, life and property of the Turks, their neighbors, by the hands of the EOKA terrorist organization, have never considered the Turkish Cypriots to be their equal partners,” President Erdoğan said.
Underlining that Turkey, as the guarantor and the motherland, has not left the Turkish Cypriots alone in the face of the atrocities committed by the Greek Cypriots, President Erdoğan stated: “The Peace Operation, conducted by the Turkish Armed Forces 47 years ago today, guaranteed the Turkish Cypriots’ existence and security. This operation showed it to the entire world that our brothers and sisters in Cyprus are not alone and cannot be erased from the stage of history, and that they will not renounce their legitimate rights.”
The torch that was lit back then on the shores of Girne has been enlightening the path of the Turkish Cypriots since that day and helping them look to the future with their minds in peace, the President noted, further stressing that Turkey, in cooperation with Northern Cyprus, has been following solution-oriented policies since then.
President Erdoğan continued as follows: “Yet, do our interlocutors think the same way or take similar steps? Do similar statements emanate from them? Despite the good intentions and constructive efforts of the Turkish side, the negotiations going on for over 50 years have remained inconclusive because of the Greek Cypriot side’s rejection to share power and prosperity with the Turkish Cypriots, who are the equal owners of the island.”
Underlining that all the relevant topics were covered in the negotiations, President Erdoğan said: “The mentality that demolished the Republic of Cyprus in 1963, rejected the Annan Plan in 2004 and left the table in Crans-Montana in 2017 has not changed a bit. The Greek Cypriots’ pipe dreams, still seeing themselves as the sole owner of the island and the Turkish Cypriots as a minority, brought on the deadlock. The history and our bitter experiences during the process have laid bare that the Greek Cypriot side has no such intention as to form a partnership state.”
“A SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION IS POSSIBLE ONLY THROUGH AN APPROACH BASED ON THE FACTS OF THE ISLAND”
“We saw the true colors of everyone in Bürgenstock. Steps to implement the Annan Plan was being taken and Verheugen was there on behalf of the European Union. Despite him being there, the EU did not act honestly. Despite the promises, you know the outcome of the referendum in the Southern Cyprus. And you know the outcome in the North. The North kept its promises. They said ‘yes’ by 65 percent. They [the South] said ‘no’. The Turks keep their promises but the Greeks do not. They did not and Annan could not continue this struggle with them. This mentality now hides behind the UN parameters which they do not actually accept. They continue their insincere attitude by pretending to defend the federation model which they have been rejecting for years. It is not possible for us to believe them any longer and lose another 50 years,” President Erdoğan said.
Underscoring that a fair, lasting and sustainable solution is possible only through an approach based on the facts of the Island, President Erdoğan said: “There are two separate states, two separate peoples in the island. This fact will be acknowledged by the international community as well sooner or later. In this spirit, we fully support President Ersin Tatar’s proposal in Geneva which foresees the acknowledgement of the Turkish Cypriot’s sovereign equality and equal international status as well as two states in the Island conducting negotiations. We cannot, will not compromise. This is the Turkish Cypriots’ fight for survival, freedom and future.”
“WE WILL FOIL THE TRAPS SOUGHT TO BE SET AGAINST THE TURKISH CYPRIOTS”
Voicing his confidence that the Republican Assembly would be endeavoring to explain the international community the rightful Cyprus cause, displaying unity in words and deeds, President Erdoğan stated: “We will hopefully foil the traps sought to be set against the Turkish Cypriots and build our bright future together.”
President Erdoğan said the Greek side was insistently continuing its efforts to ignore the vested rights of the Turkish Cypriot people in the Eastern Mediterranean, and that it had turned down the TRNC’s all proposals concerning the management and fair sharing of the hydrocarbon resources.
Stating that Turkey had offered the European Union to hold a regional conference with the participation of all the sides to address the areas of cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean, but that the EU had yet to respond to Turkey’s constructive offer, President Erdoğan noted that even this incident showed who favored dialogue.
“WE WILL SOON BEGIN CONSTRUCTION OF THE TRNC PRESIDENTIAL COMPLEX”
“Just as we protect our own rights and interests in the Eastern Mediterranean, we will continue to protect the acquired rights of the Turkish Cypriots. Let me announce to the entire world once again; we do not have any designs on anyone’s lands or rights. Our intention is not tension but to find a solution to the artificially-raised problems through a just and lawful sharing. Let me underline that we are and will continue to be against any steps by the Greek side which disregards the rights of the Turkish Cypriots. With your support, we will continue to determinedly maintain our rights in full solidarity and coordination,” President Erdoğan said.
On the much-awaited good news about the TRNC, President Erdoğan noted that the project of a new Presidential Complex was completed and said: “We will soon begin construction. Maybe some of you wonder where it will be. It will be in the Metehan area.”
“I believe it will be felicitous to turn this historical building, where the TRNC was proclaimed, into a museum for the next generations,” President Erdoğan said.
Congratulating the July 20 Peace and Freedom Day and the Eid al-Adha, President Erdoğan remembered with compassion all the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for their national cause and the veterans with respect.
