Tatar: “We are today celebrating with great joy the 50th Anniversary of the Cyprus Peace Operation”

President Ersin Tatar addressed the main parade held at the Dr. Fazıl Küçük Boulevard in Lefkoşa on Saturday, which marked the momentous 50th Anniversary of the 20 July 1974 Cyprus Peace Operation.

“We are today celebrating with great joy the 50th Anniversary of the Cyprus Peace Operation which brought to us Peace and Freedom, stopped the violence and bloodshed that was being carried out by the Greek-Greek Cypriot duo against the Turkish Cypriot People, who were expelled from the state apparatus of the partnership Republic of Cyprus in December 1963, three years after it had been established, because of the aspiration to unite Cyprus with Greece,” President Tatar said.

Stating “The Peace Operation was carried out following the coup d’etat of the Greek Junta who declared the Hellenic Republic of Cyprus,” the President added. “We are here today to mark this momentous anniversary, which saved Turkish Cypriot People from extermination.”

President Ersin Tatar stated that whilst the Greek-Greek Cypriot duo were attacking Turkish Cypriot civilians across the Island of Cyprus between 1963 and 1974, “they were also calculating as to how and when the Island would be united with Greece”.

President Tatar paid tribute to Turkish Cypriot Leader, Dr. Fazıl Küçük and Founding President Rauf Raif Denktaş. “Their determination and leadership in our national struggle to survive and co-exist as sovereign equals has illuminated our path, as has the principles of the Great Leader, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk”.

President Tatar pointed out that “we have as the Turkish Side always put forward a sincere, positive and constructive approach with regards to international settlement plans during the negotiation processes”, adding: “Our goal has always been to reach a fair, permanent and sustainable settlement that would benefit the Island of Cyprus and the region. However, the hegemonic attitude of the unchanging Greek Cypriot mentality has caused all negotiation processes to fail. Whilst calling it a federal solution, the Greek Cypriot side has always put forward proposals which aims to make the Turkish Cypriot People a minority, and to bring about a unitary state within the EU. The Greek Cypriot Side have, in addition, demanded that a solution must also include the abolishment of the guarantee system and the intervention rights of Türkiye. We can never accept this. It is not possible for us to accept their objective of destroying our State and ending our inherent rights, namely our sovereignty. We will also never accept their demand to end the guarantee of Türkiye or complete withdrawal of the Turkish army from Cyprus.”

President Tatar stated that the Turkish Cypriot People are continuing to be deprived of their most basic human rights.

“There is no legal, moral or ethical ground to justify continuing the inhuman isolation of the Turkish Cypriot People, and preventing us from being able to travel directly to our own airport, to being able to trade directly, and for our leadership to have direct contacts and to represent our People internationally. These are issues that violate our individual and collective human rights, which has been continuing for more than 60-years,” President Tatar said.

Explaining that the Turkish Cypriot Side put forward “arduous efforts for a federal-based settlement for more than half-a-century,” President Tatar said that the international community has witnessed the refusal of the Greek Cypriot Side to reach a settlement.

“Federal based negotiations have been tried, failed and exhausted,” President Tatar said. “The Annan Plan was rejected by the Greek Cypriot Side. The last and final attempt for a federal settlement ended with failure because of the Greek Cypriot Side’s refusal to share power and prosperity with us. I was elected on the ticket to find a settlement that is based on a two State basis, following the reaffirmation and acknowledgement of our equal inherent rights, namely our sovereign equality and equal international status. This position was first put forward to the international community in Geneva, in April 2021,” President Tatar said.

President Tatar concluded his address with the following words:

“With these feelings and thoughts on this historical day, I salute with all my heart the century-old resistance of our people, our Mujahideen and our Veterans, and express my gratitude on behalf of myself and the Turkish Cypriot People to Motherland Türkiye and the heroic Turkish Armed Forces, who are always with us under all circumstances. I commemorate with gratitude our beloved martyrs and the veterans who have passed away. May they rest in eternal peace. May the veterans who are still with us, have long and healthy lives.”

President Tatar said he wholeheartedly believes that the “sun of freedom that rose on the morning of July 20, 1974 will shine forever”, adding: “July 20 is the day when we overcame the darkness and woke up to light. July 20 is the day Turkish Cypriots came into existence from nothingness. July 20 is the epic of our existence. July 20 is the rebirth of our people from ashes. I wish you all a happy Peace and Freedom Day. How happy is the one who says I am a Turk.”