Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu:  “The acceptance of the decisions regarding our country and our foreign policy by the Greek Cypriot Administration does not have any face value”

The Greek press reported that Ioannis Kasoulides, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Greek Cypriot Administration (GCA) has sent a letter to the Ambassadors residing in the Greek Cypriot side.

It was once again confirmed with Kasoulides’ letter that the Greek Cypriot side has no other purpose than to prevent the efforts of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and Türkiye paving the way for our State to take its rightful place in the international community. Also, it has become obvious with the said letter that the Greek Cypriot side’s aim is to ensure the continuation of the inhuman isolation imposed on the Turkish Cypriot people.

The Cyprus issue is a matter of the legitimate rights of the Turkish Cypriot people. With this understanding, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the Republic of Türkiye have determined a new policy in line with the realities on the Island.

Kasoulides also states that they will not accept a possible agreement between the United Nations (UN) and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). The acceptance of the decisions regarding our country and our foreign policy by the Greek Cypriot Administration does not have any face value.

The presence and continuation of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force (UNFICYP) in our territory will be possible with the conclusion of a mutually acceptable legal arrangement between the two parties.

TRNC has repeatedly put on record, both in writing and verbally, especially before the UN Secretariat and all relevant UN institutions that UNFICYP could carry out its activities in our country within the framework of the goodwill of our State, but an agreement is needed in this regard.

TRNC believes that UNFICYP cannot carry out its presence and activities in our country with the current arrangement based on our goodwill and it is essential to agree on an agreement without wasting time.

We would like to reiterate that our determination in this regard is irreversible.

Our Ministry continues to act constructively for a mutually acceptable agreement to be reached between the TRNC and the UN. It is important that the UN, unlike ever before, adopts a constructive and factual approach.

Despite our sincere and constructive stance, if the UN continues to be detached from the realities on the Island and therefore no agreement can be reached, we will have no choice but to review all options and take the necessary steps, as we have stated before.