Ertuğruloğlu: “As long as the Turkish Cypriot peoples’ rights and equality are overlooked, a solution to the Cyprus problem will not be possible”

Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu has reiterated that the United Nations (UN) should open a new page for the resolution of the Cyprus issue, on the basis of two states and equality, adding that as long as the Turkish Cypriot peoples’ rights and equality are not respected, a solution will not be possible.

He made these comments during an interview to the Agence France-Presse (AFP) in New York, where he has been holding meetings in the context of UNGA.

Responding to a question about the unsuccessful outcome of the Cyprus conference in Crans-Montana, the Foreign Minister noted that the process had been flawed from the outset, and subsequently ended in failure. Pointing to the need for the United Nations to begin a new process based on equality in Cyprus, the Foreign Minister said, ‘it shouldn’t be a state and community that sits at a table, but a state and another state’.

The Foreign Minister noted that, throughout the duration of the long-running Cyprus problem, the only side that has consistently lost out during the last 50 years are the Turkish Cypriots.

“If the Greek Cypriot side is accepted as the only state in Cyprus, while the Turkish Cypriot people are not given equal rights, are kept under embargoes and their rights are not accepted and they are seen as a minority community, a solution will not be possible in Cyprus,” said Ertuğruloğlu.

When asked about the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the promotion of the country, Ertuğruloğlu said that the TRNC being promoted was only one of the options on the table, and that this can only be decided in conjunction with Turkey.

He reiterated that the Turkish Cypriot people will never give up on motherland Turkey’s active and effective guarantees over the island.

“The only country the Turkish Cypriot people trust is Turkey. The Turkish Cypriot people are a peaceful population. Up until today the Turkish Cypriot people have attended the Cyprus talks with the hope of finding a solution but unfortunately this hasn’t been reciprocated. From now on they will continue on their path with good neighbourly relations with the Greek Cypriot side” said the Foreign Minister.

Emphasizing the fact that from now on a confederation in Cyprus can be discussed as this is more viable, the Foreign Minister said, “A solution is not possible in a country where only the Greek Cypriots are recognised”.

It is on this premise that a solution has not been agreed for the last 50 years, and if this continues to be the mentality, a solution will not be found in the next 500 years either.

“We clearly saw this in Crans-Montana, where not only did the conference end but the process as well. We are not saying the negotiations are over, but we are saying we cannot continue on the same unsustainable terms as before” said Ertuğruloğlu. He concluded that the time has come to open a new page in Cyprus.