The 33rd National Day of TRNC

“Eyewitness Report” from Berlin

By Heidemarie Blankenstein (translated by Ralph Kratzer)

Celebrations on National Days are conventional institutions of most countries which cultivate diplomatic exchange. I was fortunate to be invited to the reception on the occasion of the 33rd anniversary of the establishment of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

H.E. Kemal Gökeri and his wife Figen had invited their guests to a prominent place in the city, the noble Hotel Maritim Arte. Over 100 high-ranking persons, including the new Turkish ambassador in Berlin, H.E. Ali Kemal Aydin, diplomats from other countries and German delegates had accepted the invitation and listened to the brief speech of the TRNC diplomat, which was held in Turkish and German.

He described the founding of the TRNC on 15th November 1983 as the successful termination of a year-long struggle for existence. “The Turkish Cypriot people on the one hand sincerely seek to find a sustainable solution for Cyprus on the basis of political equality between the two communities and, on the other hand – despite all the difficulties due to the non-recognition and the embargo – strive to achieve a modern civilization level”. Gökeri thanked Turkey for its support. He emphasized that the TRNC would never dispense with them as a guarantee power.

A national anthem, as normally usual at events like that, was not intoned, because – as far as I know – there is (still) none [in the TRNC]. The rich buffet was opened, and the talks were mainly about the outcome of the UN-supervised Cyprus talks in Mont Pelerin.

Before the guests went out into the wet and cold Berlin grim weather, Kemal and Figen Gökeri thanked the guests for coming to this important event. The diplomatic couple will soon end their stay in Germany after a period of four years.

November 2016 – Heidemarie Blankenstein

Editor´s note: To read a former article about Heidemarie and Hartmut Blankenstein – please click here!