President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and President Ersin Tatar of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) held a joint press conference following their meeting at the Presidential Complex, on October 26, 2020.
President Erdoğan said: “We discussed possible future steps regarding the Cyprus issue and reviewed the latest developments in the Eastern Mediterranean. The Turkish side favors a fair, lasting and sustainable solution in Cyprus. To this end, it has taken the steps incumbent upon it in good faith and with a sense of responsibility.”
He also underlined “ “It is obvious that the Greek Cypriot side has no such intention as to accept a solution on the basis of the Turkish Cypriots’ equal partnership. This irreconcilable approach and mindset of the Greek Cypriot side is the underlying reason why the negotiations going on for over 50 years have failed every time. The Greek Cypriots don’t want to share with the Turkish Cypriots the state they usurped in 1963. It needs to be seen that no outcome can be achieved under the current parameters of the negotiation process which has lasted more than fifty years. Following the conclusion of the Crans-Montana talks in July 2017, we underscored that federation could no longer be a valid model for a solution under these circumstances, and that new ideas were needed. The time since then has proven us right.” “The Greek Cypriot side continues to usurp the equal rights of the Turkish Cypriots, whom it wants to see, so-to-speak, as a minority under its administration.”
President Erdoğan stated that “we believes that a two-state solution must be brought to the table”:
A solution whereby the two peoples could live side by side in peace, prosperity and security must be built upon the island’s realities.
With reference to the latest developments in the Eastern Mediterranean, President Erdoğan said: “Just as we protect our own rights within our continental shelf in the Eastern Mediterranean, we also safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the Turkish Cypriots, who are the joint owners of the island. We have shown friend and foe our determination in the regard at every stage.” The culprit for the current situation in the Eastern Mediterranean is the Greek Cypriot side and Greece duo, which have been paying no heed to warnings and ignoring constructive advices since 2003”. “What is more, energy companies – whose appetites have been whetted by the region’s hydrocarbon resources, – and the powers behind them have seen no harm in getting involved in this game. However, this game has now been foiled. As we have been saying since the beginning, attempts which don’t take Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots into consideration have no chance of success in the region.”
President Erdoğan also affirmed that “Turkey will continue to exert every effort for the economic, diplomatic and social development of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Our goal is to make sure that the Turkish Cypriots enjoy better life standards and look to the future more confidently.” “The Turkish Cypriots will always find Turkey on their side. As has been thus far, we will overcome all hardships in solidarity and walk together to even better days.”
Meanwhile TRNC President Tatar, said that the Turkey’s five-party conference proposal is a last opportunity for resolving the Cyprus issue through agreement: We are of the opinion that this meeting will be decisive in determining as to whether a two-state solution will come to the table and whether an agreement will be possible.” Tatar also noted that the TRNC wouldn’t expect conciliation from the Greek Cypriot side which avoids cooperation even in the sharing of maritime resources.
Source: tccb.gov.tr