Foreign Minister Ertuğruloğlu meets British expats in the TRNC

Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu met yesterday with British families living in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

The Foreign Minister emphasized to the expats that the guarantee of goods, safety, peace, prosperity and opportunity for investment is available to all those living in the TRNC.

Ertuğruloğlu said, “The TRNC is our state – this land is our country. Our flag is waving on this land. We are equal partners on the island of Cyprus, and the Turkish Cypriot people make a claim to their rights and sovereignty under every condition. Today, Turkish Cypriots have their own flag and state in Cyprus. This island will never be a Hellenic island. The Turkish Cypriot people will continue to claim their rights and the equality of the people on the island, together with motherland Turkey.”

The Minister pointed out that the UK, a country which best understands the realities of the Cyprus issue and is a guarantor country for the island, should respect the facts. He criticised the UK High Commissioner, who also recently met with British people living in the TRNC, for making negative remarks about the country.

Expressing that there are two states on the island and that this is understood by the international community, Ertuğruloğlu described the history of the Cyprus problem, and the Turkish Cypriot people who were ousted from the Republic of Cyprus.

Ertuğruloğlu also stated that the Greek Cypriots are now illegally occupying the Republic and have imposed embargoes on the Turkish Cypriot people – a reality, he emphasised, which the UK has ignored. He added that it is therefore unacceptable for an authority from the UK to make unfavourable statements to British people living in the TRNC.

Ertuğruloğlu said that during the 50 year-long negotiations, all issues were discussed, and that the Turkish Cypriot people have never backed away from the negotiations at any stage.  He also stressed that the talks have now ended and that a new process is possible on the basis of state-to-state talks and equality – however, the negotiations cannot continue from the stage at which they were left.

Minister Ertuğruloğlu responded to questions from the British expats, particularly regarding Plan B in Cyprus. Meanwhile, bureaucrats from the Ministry of the Interior, Labour and Social Security, and the Ministry of Health gave information on residency, customs, property and transport.

Ertuğruloğlu expressed his hope that the new process will be shaped after the elections, and pointed out that the TRNC’s participation in the international community is realized via Turkey. Ertuğruloğlu also stressed that from now on the TRNC must focus on its development, in order to continue creating a country where everyone can live in happiness.

Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mustafa Lakadamyalı, General Director Kemal Köprülü and some authorities from the Ministry of Economy and Energy, Labour and Social Security and Ministry of Health accompanied Minister Ertuğruloğlu to the meeting.