Statement of the TRNC Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the Statement by Konstantinos Letymbiotis, Government Spokesperson of the Greek Cypriot Administration

The statement made by Konstantinos Letymbiotis, Government Spokesperson of the Greek Cypriot administration (GCA) of Southern Cyprus, ahead of the United Nations General Assembly, claiming that Cyprus should become a “normal, modern, European state”, “free from anachronistic guarantees and occupying armies” constitutes the latest example of the outdated mentality confronting the Turkish Cypriot People.

It is abundantly clear that what is truly anachronistic and void on the island is the so-called “Republic of Cyprus” which the Greek Cypriot side seized by force of arms in 1963 and transformed into GCA. The 1960 partnership state, founded on the equality and participation of the two peoples, ceased to exist as of 1963. Yet the Greek Cypriot side has, for more than half a century, sustained its invalid claim to be the so-called “Republic of Cyprus”, purporting to represent the whole island and the Turkish Cypriot People.

The 1974 Happy Peace Operation put an end to the atrocities inflicted upon the Turkish Cypriot People between 1963 and 1974, and made it possible to establish an environment on the island in which violence gave way to peace and stability. The persistent attempts by the GCA representatives to distort these historical realities and mislead international public opinion serve no purpose other than to heighten tension on the island.

Bearing in mind the rapid pace of the GCA’s rearmament activities and military cooperation arrangements in recent years, it should be clearly understood that the guarantorship of Motherland Türkiye, the essential safeguard of the existence and security of the Turkish Cypriots, can never be relinquished. Türkiye’s presence on the island is sine qua non for the Turkish Cypriot People. Under no circumstances will the Turkish Cypriot People accept the withdrawal of Turkish troops from the island.

Therefore, we would like to remind Greek Cypriot officials once again that a lasting agreement on the island will only be possible on the basis of cooperation between two independent and sovereign States, and thus through the affirmation of the sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which represents the will of the Turkish Cypriot People.