Addressing the Cyprus issue at a symposium earlier in the week, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Serdar Denktaş said, “The whole world should know, that Turkish Cypriots have established their own state by protecting their ownership rights from Greek Cypriot occupation forces.” 

Denktaş, who is also leader of the Democratic Party, addressed the existence of Turkish Cypriots on the island during his speech, “We have been struggling to protect our own rights in Cyprus for so long.” Denktaş also emphasised that these rights were derived from 400 years of Turkish existence on the island and not from the Republic of Cyprus, which was established in 1960 and survived only three years. Observing that negotiations still continue under the perception that Greek Cypriots have seized the rights of the Turkish Cypriots, Denktaş said that the time that lost during years of negotiations is proof that the Greek Cypriot side does not, nor will ever, accept Turkish Cypriots as equals.

Reminding the audience that 12 years have passed since the Annan Plan 2004 referendum and the five party conference held in Geneva, Denktaş stated that discussions regarding the settlement are ongoing although the Greek Cypriot side is reluctant to accept a solution, despite Turkey’s concessions.

“It should be noted that unless the Greek Cypriot side and other parties accept Turkish Cypriots as an equal political partner on the island, a new negotiation process will end with the loss of Turkey and Turkish Cypriots as partners,” Denktaş said.

Referring to the words from the TRNC’s Founding President Rauf Raif Denktaş, the Deputy Prime Minister said, “The whole world should know that the TRNC, which has defended the ownership rights of the Turkish Cypriots from the Greek occupation forces, is an independent Republic and it will remain so.”