Tahsin Ertugruloğlu , Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkish Northern Republic of Cyprus has stressed GCC States to solve their crisis through immediate discussions. ‘ It is unbelievable seeing such extreme stand and differences among close brotherly countries of GCC,’ TRNC Foreign Minister told a group of journalists visiting from Canada, Europe, Middle East and Central Asia.

Ertugruloğlu lauded the wise leadership of State of Qatar and the role of it’s people inspite of aggressive campaign against them.

Commenting on the recent failure of over 49 years long Cyprus conference in Crans-Montana, Switzerland under United Nations Secretary General, he said that the only parties responsible for the failure of the Cyprus Conference in Crans-Montana, the culmination of a 50 year negotiation process, were the Greek Cypriot side, and Greece. Ertuğruloğlu stressed that the negotiation process failed due to the uncompromising attitude of the Greek Cypriot side who has been insisting on a “0 troops, 0 guarantees” arrangement. Ertuğruloğlu stated that the main aim of the Greek Cypriot side is to remove Turkey’s presence completely from the island, and breaking relations with the Turkish Cypriots.

‘Presence of Turkish forces have saved our lives and we sleep peacefully since it landed in 1974, since then there are no clashes and no casualties between both sides of the island.

Ertuğruloğlu warned that TRNC has a number of options including if we are pushed to join as part of Turkey for which Greek Cypriots will be held responsible’. He cleared that ‘we should be treated with equality and negotiations should be held on state to state basis’.

Ertuğruloğlu criticised the statement by the UN Secretary General’s Special Advisor on Cyprus, Espen Barth Eide that the outcome of the Conference was a ‘common failure’ by all sides. He said that is the statement was an injustice for the Turkish Cypriots, because the process has failed entirely due to the Greek Cypriot side’s uncompromising attitude.

Ertuğruloğlu also noted that the EU and UN are not objective in Cyprus.

Furthermore, stressing that the Greek Cypriot side should take into consideration the warnings of the Turkish Cypriot side and Turkey on the natural gas issue, Minister Ertuğruloğlu said that the Greek Cypriot side’s statement, “We will give money in case of a solution” is an insult to the Turkish Cypriot people. He explained that the Turkish Cypriot claim was not based on money, but having rights to the natural gas.

Ertuğruloğlu underlined that the Turkish Cypriots understand the value of 20th July 1974 when we achieved peace in the island, and 15 November 1983, when the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was established.

July 26, 2017

  M Ashraf Siddiqui