Tatar: “Turkish Cypriot people are happy with Turkey’s determination to protect their rights and interests”
23 August, 2019Çavuşoğlu : “Any agreement in the Eastern Mediterranean that does not include the Turkish Cypriot people or Turkey is not valid”
26 August, 2019Turkish President Erdoğan stated that Turkey continues to support the work carried out for the safety and welfare of the TRNC. He also added “How we defend our own rights, we will continue with the same determination to defend the interests of the Turkish Cypriots in the region and in the island.”
Erdoğan held a joint press conference following bilateral meetings with Prime Minister Ersin Tatar who has been in Turkey for a working visit and a meeting between the delegations.
Erdoğan said at a joint press conference in the Turkish Presidential Complex in Ankara, “The emergence of the problem in Cyprus and continuing to date is entirely due to the uncompromising attitude of the Greek Cypriots and added that the Greek Cypriot side still continues to make political and economic attacks.
Erdoğan said: “If the Greek Cypriot side reaches a sincere and realistic compromise ground, the solution that everybody expects on the island can be achieved. Turkey will continue to take appropriate steps with the TRNC in all areas by its own roadmap.
Erdoğan also criticized the European Union (EU), which accepted the Greek Cypriots as a Member even though they voted “no” in the Annan Plan referendum.
Erdoğan also said that unfortunately although the Turkish Cypriots kept their promises in the Annan Plan referendum, while the Greek Cypriots failed to do so, the Greek Cypriot side joined the EU and the Turkish Cypriot side was excluded. They did not even keep their financial promises to the Turkish Cypriots. This is the EU’s own shame. ”
Erdoğan added “The only interlocutor of the Greek Cypriot side is the TRNC, and they should negotiate the problem on the island together. The EU is in a position to defend the inequality, not equality, injustice, not justice, and not peace but oppression on the island. Unfortunately, every step which was taken by the EU and the international community encourages the Greek Cypriots towards a deadlock, not a solution. The attitude of the Greek Cypriot side, that does not recognise the TRNC, does not change the fact that it is a society and a state with its history, geography, population, culture, political and economic rights”.