Ertuğruloğlu holds meetings in Washington

Following the United Nations General Assembly, Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu has flown from New York to hold meetings in Washington D.C, where he met with US State Department officials and Turkish Ambassador Serdar Kılıç. During his meeting at the Turkish Embassy, Ertuğruloğlu informed Ambassador Kılıç of the latest developments in Cyprus and expressed the Turkish Cypriot people’s expectations of the international community. Ertuğruloğlu was accompanied by Foreign Ministry General Director Kemal Köprülü, TRNC Washington Representative İsmet Korukoğlu and Second Secretary Çağrı Kalfaoğlu and Özgür Ezel during his trip.

Ertuğruloğlu also gave an interview to the “The Hill”, a top US political news website. In his interview, the Foreign Minister discussed the latest developments in Cyprus and added that all parties needed to assess the situation afresh and take steps to end the injustices suffered by the Turkish Cypriot people.

Ertuğruloğlu emphasized that the Turkish Cypriot people are equal partners on the island and that it is now necessary to open a new page in Cyprus. He also added that the only side to loose during the Crans-Montana negotiations were the Turkish Cypriot people – a point the Foreign minister has stated unequivocally throughout his US meetings, including those in New York at the United Nations.

Ertuğruloğlu also said the Turkish Cypriot people do not have time to waste as it is no longer possible to revive the failed negotiations, adding “We have seen that the old process in Crans-Montana could not reach any solution.” The Foreign Minister stressed that any new process beginning in Cyprus must be based on equality of both states.

Pointing out that the international community should put an end to the unjust embargo imposed on the Turkish Cypriot people, Ertuğruloğlu noted that it is now time for other alternatives to be considered in Cyprus.