Özersay had a teleconference meeting with Lacroix

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Kudret Özersay had a teleconference with UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix. The meeting was held using the teleconference method in line with the decision taken within the scope of the United Nations General Assembly.

Özersay stated that it is expected from the UN to clearly warn the Greek Cypriot leadership due to their provocations, which have increased recently, and have constantly escalated the tension both in the island and the region in this period.

He also stated that before the pandemic period, the Greek Cypriot leadership had taken steps directly targeting the Turkish Cypriot economy by closing some of the border gates and creating difficulties in the transition of Greek Cypriots to the TRNC. Underlining that they do not allow third-country nationals, including EU citizens, to enter the TRNC from the Greek Cypriot side, Özersay stated that this situation created by the Greek Cypriot leadership made the existing confidence problem between the two parties worse than before.

Noting that while the UN Secretary-General called for an end to global conflicts and disputes by taking a new initiative, especially during the period when all countries were locked down, the Greek Cypriot side continued its military provocations in this period, Özersay stated that the Greek Cypriot side placed 187 heavy machine gun positions throughout the border gates during the period of lockdown and encouraged foreign forces including warplanes to use Southern Cyprus. Özersay underlined that all these activities constitute a completely opposite situation to the call made by the UN Secretary-General and that this situation should be conveyed to the Greek Cypriot leadership in the clearest way.

Özersay also exchanged views with the UN officials on what processes will be needed regarding the Cyprus problem after the elections in the country.

Pointing out that the Turkish Cypriot side has expressed at every platform that it is a party in favour of dialogue and cooperation, Ozersay added that it is ready for this, also in natural gas and in all matters concerning the two peoples on the island.