Ertuğruloğlu calls for efforts to begin towards TRNC recognition
21 July, 2017Erdoğan : “The Turkish Cypriot people and Turkey cannot remain the victims of lack of a solution forever”
21 July, 2017Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım yesterday attended a ceremony held at Dr. Fazıl Küçük Boulevard in Lefkoşa, on the occasion of the 43rd Anniversary of the 20th of July Peace Operation.
In his speech, Yıldırım referred to the Cyprus negotiation process, saying that Turkey would continue to protect the rights of Turkish Cypriots in the Eastern Mediterranean.
“It is a serious contradiction and injustice that Turkish Cypriots have paid for the uncompromising approach of the Greek Cypriot side for years,” Yıldırım said.
“Turkey believes that the energy resources in the eastern Mediterranean are an opportunity but the one-sided steps taken by the Greek Cypriot side are untimely, dangerous and encouraging the lack of a solution,” Yıldırım said.
He also pointed to the “unfair steps” taken by the Greek Cypriot side in encouraging a deadlock in the talks. Negotiations between the Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders to reunify the island broke down in Switzerland on 6th July after the United Nations failed to broker a compromise.
The talks took on an additional dimension through the growing importance of energy reserves in the eastern Mediterranean, and in particular, around the island.
Yıldırım underlined that steps should be taken as soon as possible to end the unfair isolations imposed on the TRNC.