Özersay: “The TRNC is the most important symbol of our self-governance”

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Kudret Özersay stated that the TRNC is the most important symbol of our self-governance.

Özersay attended a program in one of Turkey’s national channels on Global TV due to the 36th anniversary of the establishment of the TRNC and mentioned the struggle of the Turkish Cypriot people, and their past and the future and also evaluated the featured titles.

Stating that the TRNC is the most important symbol of the Turkish Cypriot people’s self-governance, Özersay said: “We established this state as a democratic, secular state within the framework of Atatürk’s principles. We are determined to keep it alive. Nobody should doubt it.

Emphasizing that the Security Council took a decision against the TRNC when they declared the republic on 15 November 1983, whereas Özersay said that the TRNC is actually the most important guarantee of any possible future partnership and added:

“The Greek Cypriots now have a state in effect. The Turkish Cypriots have as well. This is a partnership that both of them will establish. Otherwise, you will patch a society or people into a state. We will never accept it. Our struggle is also for this. Özersay also underlined that the TRNC is not an obstacle to a solution in Cyprus: “On the contrary, the TRNC is the securest ground for a solution.”

Upon a question, Özersay stated that he did not find the statement of the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres surprising, in his report regarding the Cyprus negotiations that he mentioned “The atmosphere for the peace process has deteriorated due to ongoing tensions in and around Cyprus within this process and the two sides have still not agreed on the terms of reference to launch negotiations”.

Özersay said : “We reached this stage since some things have not been negotiated sincerely” and added :

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“50 years passed. We have behaved as if we want the same thing for half a century. I am saying this without blaming the Greek Cypriot side. We have always expressed that we want a bi-communal, bi-zonal federal partnership in Cyprus. At the stage we have reached, it seems that the sides consider different things from federation. The UN Secretary General expressed the truth that the sides have not reached a consensus on which grounds they will negotiate and on the terms of reference. At the moment, the parties could not reach an agreement on what grounds and terms to negotiate. The parties have not reached a consensus with the terms of references. After 50 years the parties newly understood that they do not also agree on the issues of sharing of governance and for what type of a partnership they want to negotiate. Therefore, we have to leave the dogmatic approach. If you say that there will be only a federation in Cyprus not anything else, you make a mistake. This mistake has been made for a long period.”

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Expressing that the drilling works in the Eastern Mediterranean and the steps taken for the closed city Maraş are right steps to balance the situation in the zone with the Greek Cypriots, Özersay said “We have given authority and license to the Turkish Petroleum Corporation. The drilling works have been conducted on behalf of the Turkish Cypriot side. Except this, drilling works have also been conducted within Turkey’s own continental shelf. I think that we have balanced the actions of the Greek Cypriots towards usurping the rights of the Turkish Cypriots in the zone”.

We activated a policy such as the status of the UN Peace Forces in Cyprus must be questioned, if necessary instruction of the mission must change, number of troops must be reduced and leaving the island in one stage. We have mentioned this in the UN. We have developed rhetoric that there is no need for that. These are all against the continuation of the status quo in the island and steps towards disturbing the comfortable situation of the Greek Cypriots. I believe that it is very important. In the following period we need to force the Greek Cypriots to corporate with the Turkish Cypriots in tourism, trade and alternate subjects. This will provide peace and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean. If we can create a mutual dependency it would be difficult for the two sides to put steps forward to hurt each other.’

Consequently we cannot solve this problem by continuously blaming Greek Cypriots. Since the current situation is continuing and the whole world keep saying to the Greek Cypriots ‘You are the only legitimate government of the Island, you are the full member of the EU, if you want you can block Turkey’s EU membership and although Turkish Cypriots has right on the natural gas you can drill on your own’ the Greek Cypriots would not come close to a solution in Cyprus. This is so natural. Therefore if the international community continues this behaviour it means they are not genuine about the solution. If they are not going to use their cards and put a step forward we will put our steps forward with Turkey, we have to. Status quo is creating a stability which endangers the identity of the Turkish Cypriots. I believe both for our identity and our future we need to destroy this inertia. We have to develop proactive policies.’