Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay attended the ceremony held at Dr. Fazıl Küçük Boulevard, Lefkoşa on the occasion of the 36th anniversary of the establishment of the TRNC and gave a speech.
In his speech, stressing that they have not forgotten the struggle of the Turkish Cypriots until the establishment of the TRNC in 1983, Oktay said that the TRNC is the guarantee of the rights of the Turkish Cypriots on the island. Pointing out that the negotiations regarding the solution of the Cyprus problem have been continuing for half a century, Oktay said that Turkey spends all kind of efforts but a solution has not been reached due to the stance of the Greek Cypriot side.
Adding that, since the beginning, Turkey has supported the TRNC for the future of the Turkish Cypriots within the framework of the international law, and will continue to support, Oktay stressed: “Turkey will do its utmost for the TRNC”. Underlining that Turkey will never allow continuation of the current status quo in Cyprus, Oktay made a call to the international community to respect the history and the future of the Turkish Cypriots.
Expressing that they have stressed from the beginning that the hydrocarbon issue should be used as an opportunity for a solution in Cyprus, Oktay said that the drilling vessel Yavuz is active, Fatih has also started drilling in the area south of Karpaz and Barbaros Seismic Research Vessel is continuing its activity in the zones licenced by the TRNC to the Turkish Petroleum Company. Oktay also underlined that the decisions stated by the European Union regarding Turkey’s hydrocarbon works in the Eastern Mediterranean are null and void.
