Are the Greek Cypriots willing to reach an agreement

ÖZGÜRGÜN – “MARKULLI’S STATEMENT CLEARLY REVEALED THAT AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE ACHIEVED WITH THE GREEK CYPRIOT ADMINISTRATION”

Foreign Minister, Hüseyin Özgürgün evaluated Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister Erato Markulli’s latest statements as an insult towards the Turkish Cypriot people.

Özgürgün said “Markulli’s statements have a very deep meaning, which reveals the Greek Cypriot side’s desire where to go to politically and is a statement which declares the Turkish Cypriot people only have a right to live in the so-called “Cyprus Republic” as ordinary people and minority status without any political rights”.

Özgürgün said “Markulli’s statement also revealed once again that the Greek Cypriot side by no means will accept established UN parameters based on equality of two founder states, political equality of both sides and bizonality that have been discussed for years and on which consensus have been achieved.

Özgürgün said instead of constantly obstructing the Turkish Cypriot people, the Greek Cypriot side should create an environment that enables cooperation especially in sportive, artistic and cultural fields with the Turkish Cypriot side that would also positively contribute for their weak economic conditions.

Foreign Minister Özgürgün evaluated Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister Erato Kazaku Markulli’s latest statements regarding the Turkish Cypriot people and a football match that will be played between Turkish football team of Fenerbahçe and Greek Cypriot team AEL, to Cyprus Turkish News Agency (TAK).

Stating that the latest explanations of Markulli, revealed once again the well-known and constant intransigent policy of the Greek Cypriots, Ozgurgun clarified this policy as: “The Turkish Cypriots are minority. The Turkish Cypriot leadership and Turkey are the enemies, who have to be eliminated. Turkish army on the island, which is an anomaly, has to be expelled. ”

Pointing out that the Greek Cypriot side has recently begun to pursue the same policy against the British bases on the island; Foreign Minister Ozgurgun said that the aim of this policy was to intimidate Britain to extend support to the Greek Cypriot policies during  the British Foreign Minister’s forthcoming visit to the island.

Ozgurgun continued:

“The Greek Cypriot side increased its statements against the British bases just before the visit of the British Foreign Minister to the island. This is a deliberate policy of the Greek Cypriots; by threatening Britain, they try to ensure her support.”

Reminding  the Turkish Cypriot people that they have reached this position through the support of Turkey and that their existence in the island cannot continue without Turkey, Ozgurgun stated that the Greek – Greek Cypriot duo have been playing a trick for many years in order to sever the unwavering relations between the TRNC and Turkey, Ozgurgun added that the Greek Cypriots will never be successful on this issue.

Stating that the existence of the Turkish Cypriots on the island was as legitimate as the Greek Cypriots whether they accepted or not, Ozgurgun underlined that the Turkish Cypriots had democratic maturity, consciousness and knowledge for self –governance.

Ozgurgun, calling upon Markulli, said: ‘What should be discussed in Cyprus today, are the ways of ensuring economic development and improving trade through the Green Line Regulation, however, the Greek Cypriots concentrate on the ways of getting political gain over the Turkish Cypriots, instead of economic benefits. Ozgurgun added that the Greek Cypriots have been pursuing a policy on the Cyprus issue with a narrow-minded mentality.

Underlining that the Greek Cypriots have never wanted to cooperate with the Turkish Cypriot side even for the humanitarian issues, such as conflagration and judicial cases, however, have always been abusing even the sportive activities for their political aims, Ozgurgun said that when the Olympic Torch came to South Cyprus in 2008, the Greek Cypriot administration prevented it from being taken across to the TRNC. Ozgurgun added that the Greek Cypriots always prevented the Turkish teams from playing a football match in the TRNC.

Noting that the Greek Cypriots were the main cause of the embargoes on Turkish Cypriots, Ozgurgun said that the Greek Cypriot side also hinders the enactment of the Direct Trade Regulation.

Stating that he considered the statements of Markulli, being a part of this mentality, as defamatory against Turkish Cypriot people, Foreign Affairs Minister Ozgurgun noted :

“Markulli’s statements have a very deep meaning as to reveal and demonstrate the path where the Greek Cypriots want to go to politically. Her statements reveal the Greek Cypriots’ hidden desires that if an opportunity arises, the Turkish Cypriots will be made to live in a minority status without any political rights under the so- called Republic of Cyprus.

With her remarks on this issue, Mrs. Markulli once again put forth clearly that no agreement is possible with the Greek Cypriot side. It is a statement which also displays clearly that the Greek Cypriots will under no conditions accept the established UN parameters based on two equal founding states, two peoples’ political equality and bizonality which have been discussed for years and on which consensus have been maintained ”.

Referring to the match between Fenerbahce and Limasol team AEL in the UEFA European League, Foreign Affairs Minister Huseyin Ozgurgun evaluated the statements of the Greek Cypriot side on this matter.

Ozgurgun stressed that Greek Cypriot Administration leader Dimitris Christofias’ invitation extended to President Dervis Eroglu as a ‘Citizen of Republic of Cyprus’ was a great insult towards the Turkish Cypriot people .

Noting that calling the elected TRNC President Eroglu as if he is an ordinary citizen and saying ”let’s come and see the match together” was an insult against the Turkish Cypriot people, Ozgurgun noted that this only meant that “I do not recognize the ones you elect, you cannot elect, you cannot be anything other than a minority”.

Stating that in the example of Fenerbahce’s match with Limasol AEL team, the Greek Cypriots has once again abused a sportive activity for their political interests, Ozgurgun said chauvinism, the economic problems, the pressure from Church and the desire for power in the Greek Cypriot side have a role in this.

Expressing that the TRNC is the collocutor of the Greek Cypriot Administration and that Turkey had never been their collocutor, Foreign Affairs Minister Ozgurgun stressed that the Greek Cypriots did not understand this and that making a match would not mean to make a political contact with that country.

Source: TRNC Public Information Office

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