Ertuğruloğlu: “New process can start on a state to state basis”
Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu has stated that, since the official declaration by the UN Secretary General that the Cyprus negotiation process came to a close without a conclusion in Switzerland earlier this month, a new page should be opened on the Cyprus talks on a state-to-state basis, based on equality.
Speaking on “The Newsmakers” on TRT World, Ertuğruloğlu said that the only wish of the Turkish Cypriot people is to continue their lives in equality, peace and security. Noting that one of the key reasons the Cyprus negotiations failed was because they were not conducted on the fundamental basis of equality, Ertuğruloğlu said that the only way to reach success in the new process is both sides sitting at the negotiating table as equals.
Ertuğruloğlu also criticized the UN and EU for taking the Greek Cypriot side into the European Union unilaterally and excluding the Turkish Cypriot people, calling it a “great injustice.” He added that the whole world, including the UN and EU, are well aware of the reality that there are two states in Cyprus.
“We never accepted the Greek Cypriots stalling the process due to their elections. However, while we are not ruling out a new form of negotiations, they must be conducted under new parameters, the most important of which is that they are on a “state-to-state” basis. Furthermore, following the failure of the talks and the situation that became clear in Switzerland, the unjust and intolerable embargoes imposed on the Turkish Cypriots must be lifted,” Minister Ertuğruloğlu concluded.
Condemnation from TRNC Foreign Ministry to Eide
The TRNC Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the statements of Espen Barth Eide, Special Advisor to the United Nations Secretary-General, on the Agreement of Guarantees. The written statement of the Ministry is as follows:
“We strongly condemn the statements made by Mr. Espen Barth Eide, Special Advisor to the United Nations Secretary-General, in an interview, on 22 July of 2017, concerning the chapter of Security and Guarantees.
In the said statement, Eide expressed “From early on it was my conviction that ‘in a modern sovereign state’ there is no place for the Treaty of Guarantee and the right of intervention”. In doing so, Eide not only violated the principle of impartiality of the Good Offices Mission, but also completely ignored the historical facts on the Island, and thus exceedingly overstepped his authority which entails non-interference on substantive issues.
The statement, which is in contradiction of his mandate, ignores the fact that the Greek Cypriot side usurped the Partnership Republic of 1960, putting the Turkish Cypriots through much grief as of 1963; imposed an ongoing archaic isolation in order to do away with the Turkish Cypriot people, and, that, most recently, the Greek Cypriot leadership backed the decision to commemorate the 1950 Enosis plebiscite at the schools. Moreover, it is not possible to understand the association made by Eide between the abolishment of the Guarantee system and “modernity”. In this connection, it is in fact the Greek Cypriot claims of unilateral authority and sovereignty over the whole Island, as well as their unilateral activities carried out in the international arena that are archaic.
Eide’s statement, which completely ignores the fact that the only factor which prevented the Island from being annexed to Greece and becoming a Hellenic Island, was Motherland Turkey’s implementation of its right and responsibilities granted to it by the Treaty of Guarantee. It also underestimates the traumas endured by the Turkish Cypriot people by implying that it is unnecessary for them to still feel concerned about history repeating itself in the case of a possible solution. The statement, made on a highly sensitive topic for the Turkish Cypriot people, ignoring the Greek Cypriot and Greek sides’ uncompromising attitude throughout the negotiations, including during the Cyprus Conference in Crans-Montana between 28 June – 7 July, as well as the fact that the Turkish Cypriot side and Motherland Turkey nevertheless took considerable steps throughout the negotiations, thus, is entirely unacceptable.
We invite Eide to uphold the principle of objectivity that his mission requires and refrain from making controversial statements, and, hereby, respecting the sensitivities of the Turkish Cypriot side on this matter.”
Turkish Foreign Ministry: “Wordings prejudging the period ahead in the resolution on the extension of UNFICYP’s mandate of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus have no meaning”
The mandate of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) is extended every six months. The most recent resolution adopted to this end in the UN Security Council on 27 July contains certain wordings which prejudge the future conduct of the Cyprus settlement process.
The Conference on Cyprus was concluded without any outcome on 7 July 2017, as also openly stated by the UN Secretary-General. In his periodic report on UNFICYP issued on 10 July, the UN Secretary-General indicated the disappointment which ensued from the closure of the Conference on Cyprus without an agreement being reached. The Secretary-General invited the parties, particularly the two Leaders on the Island, to reflect deeply on this result and on the possible way ahead.
This being the case, the wordings prejudging the period ahead in the resolution on the extension of UNFICYP’s mandate have no meaning. Taking into account the recommendation of the UN Secretary-General, Turkey is continuing its assessment of the future steps to be taken on the settlement of the Cyprus issue in light of its observations concerning the course of the process to date as well as its determination to reach a lasting settlement.
Cooperation protocol agreed between Cyprus Health Tourism Council and TÜRKSOY
A cooperation protocol has been signed between Cyprus Health Tourism Council and International Turkish Cultural Association (TÜRKSOY) which will further improve the provision of healthcare to the TRNC.
The protocol was signed by TÜRKSOY Secretary General Prof. Düsen Kaseinov and President of the Cyprus Health Tourism Council Ahmet Savaşan.
In his speech at the ceremony Düsen Kaseinov said that the cooperation between the TRNC and TÜRKSOY member states in the field of health tourism will be developed as a result of this step, adding that it will provide an important alternative to the Turkish peoples.
Source: TRNC Public Information Office –
To read more news and information from the TRNC Ministry of Foreign Affairs, please click here
Pictures shown are courtesy of the TRNC Public Information Office Facebook page.
What is the point of this. Just the same as flogging a dead horse and the same scenario as the Israelis and Palestinians. Nothing will change.
Move on and keep the border there. Greeks cannot be trusted. Ever, even on mainland Greece