Prime Minister Özgürgün: “The Greek Cypriot side has made clear that they do not want to reach a settlement”
Prime Minister Özgürgün stated that the Greek Cypriot side has made clear that they do not want to reach a settlement, in the light of the decision to commemorate the Enosis Plebiscite and their continued unilateral natural gas exploration activities.
Stating that at this point the Turkish Cypriot side should therefore take a decision to use its rights for self-determination, Özgürgün added that this has been bought up even in the UK parliament.
Speaking to the Turkish News Agency (TAK) and BRT, Özgürgün said that the negotiations should resume from where they left off, from the Geneva summit.
Noting that it is not possible to return to the negotiation table unless the Enosis decision is overturned, Özgürgün emphasised that the decision taken by the Greek Cypriot Parliament last week is not enough.
Enosis means to destroy the Turkish Cypriots and British people and annex the island to Greece, and Özgürgün emphasized that the decision showed that “the mentality has not changed”.
Regarding the unilateral natural gas exploration of the Greek Cypriot side, Özgürgün said: “This is not their sovereign right. It is sovereignty that they usurp and do not want to share with the Turkish Cypriots. These actions fundamentally deny the rights of the Turkish Cypriots, as all the riches and natural resources around and within this island belong equally to both communities in Cyprus”.
Özgürgün continued, “The stance of the Greek Cypriots on both these issues come to mean “I do not want to share anything, I do not want to give any rights, if you want the right of minority, I can give it to certain conditions and my ultimate goal is to annex the island to Greece” and added that this should be understood very well by the Turkish Cypriot side.
Turkish Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu: “There is no sincere effort from the Greek Cypriot side to resolve the Cyprus Problem”
Turkish Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu said: “Although we are committing sincere efforts to settle the Cyprus problem, we do not see the same efforts from the Greek Cypriot side”.
The unilateral actions of the Greek Cypriot side on the issue of natural gas and oil reserves around Cyprus are not acceptable, Çavuşoğlu said; despite Turkey’s warning on this issue, unfortunately since there has been no retreat from the Greek Cypriot side, forcing Turkey to take additional measures..
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu was speaking to members of Antalya Businessmen Association (ANTİAD) at Akra Barut Hotel.
Çavuşoğlu also mentioned the Cyprus issue and said that they are trying to strengthen Turkey’s relations with the whole world in the best way.
Minister Çavuşoğlu emphasized that Turkey has many problems in the geography but that Turkey did not play a negative role in the formation and development of these problems.
Although sincere efforts have been committing to finding a solution to the Cyprus problem, Çavuşoğlu said, “Yesterday, the Energy and Natural Resources Minister Berat Albayrak made a statement regarding the unilateral gas exploration by the Greek Cypriot side. The Turkish Cypriot people also have rights in these territorial waters. We will take necessary steps if the Greek Cypriots continue to ignore our warnings. We have already taken legal steps and officially registered our position. We will not allow one-sided actions by the Greek Cypriot side to continue on this issue.”
Source: TRNC Public Information Office –
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