Ertuğruloğlu: “We are not the Turkish minority of a Hellenistic Island”

In his speech to the TRNC Assembly, Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu stated that Turkish Cypriots are not the Turkish minority of a Hellenistic Island.

Ertuğruloğlu pointed out that no one could answer the question “why don’t the Greek Cypriots want to reach a settlement in the negotiations with Turkish Cypriots”, and that the Greek Cypriots do not need a solution.

He said that no agreement could be reached as long as Turkish Cypriots give the message, “we do not have any chance, and we have to reach a point in the negotiations”. He added, “Why would the Greek Cypriots want to reach such a result”.

Criticizing the recognition of the Greek Cypriots, Ertuğruloğlu asked, “Why should the Greek Cypriots want to share the advantages and benefits of their recognition with the Turkish Cypriots?”

Ertuğruloğlu noted that the Greek Cypriot elections are upcoming, and that the Greek Cypriot people will not support a leader who works for a solution.

The Foreign Minister stressed that there is no chance of success in the negotiation process which has been going on for 50 years, blaming the international community who created this excuse for the Greek Cypriots.

Ertuğruloğlu added that the Turkish Cypriot people are peaceful people who want to protect their rights, and that they are expecting results from the negotiation process.