Pretext used to not cooperate with the Turkish Cypriot side is no longer valid
29 July, 2019President Erdoğan: ‘Initiatives in Eastern Mediterranean against Turkey are unlawful’
29 July, 2019Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Kudret Özersay made statements regarding natural gas and the UN Security Council’s decision.
Stating that at this point the natural gas issue constitutes a situation which is a much more significant and urgent issue than persistent and deadlocked negotiations lasting for over 50 years, Özersay said, “If the international actors genuinely want to help with the natural gas issue then they should make the Greek Cypriot Administration negotiate the issue by using an initiative. If those who try to make the parties negotiate the federal solution insist on it, despite knowing that such a solution cannot be achieved, then this means that what they want is status quo not a solution.”
Özersay pointed out, “The issue is not only discussing the natural gas, what matters for us is developing a mechanism which will secure the Turkish Cypriots’ rights regarding these resources. This can only be achieved by involving the Turkish Cypriots’ political will in these processes. What we are looking for is not an unauthorized committee which will only discuss this matter”.
Mentioning the UN Security Council’s latest decision Özersay remarked:
“Unfortunately the UN Security Council is trying to distort what is written in the UN Secretary-General’s report and does not show the courage to face the realities. In the Secretary-General’s report, however, regarding this issue, it is clearly being stressed that they can develop mechanisms which enable cooperation regardless of the relative sides’ recognition or making the recognition issue a problem. They did everything they could in order not to pass this resolution at the Security Council. What happened? Has the reality changed when they did so? Has the fact that the Turkish Cypriots in the north of the island also have a government change or did it disappear? Could they change the fact that they have to cooperate with us in order to accomplish? No. Then they should show some courage. Unless a fair solution is reached, it is impossible to achieve stability in this region.