Press Statement by TRNC Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu on the so-called “Confidence Building Measures” proposal of the Greek Cypriot side.
I see that some Greek officials, especially the Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs Yoannis Kasulidis, have recently tried to present some of their plans regarding the territory of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus as the so-called “Confidence Building Measures” package and to exert pressure on the Turkish Cypriot side with the support of the international public opinion. This effort is futile.
None of the “Confidence Building Measures” package that has been put forward in the ongoing negotiation processes between the parties on the island has achieved its intended target. The reason for this is that “Confidence Building Measures” are far from the essence of the Cyprus issue. The essence of the Cyprus issue, and the only reason it has remained inconclusive up to now, is that the international community treats the Greek Cypriot side as the so-called “single government and representative” of the Island of Cyprus, while treating the Turkish Cypriot people only as a “society”. In short, the essence of the Cyprus issue is a matter of status. The so-called “Confidence Building Measures” of the Greek Cypriot side have no other purpose than to distract attention from the essence of the problem and to ensure the continuation of the status quo.
The new State policy determined by the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus aims to eliminate this status problem and to make it possible to reach an acceptable agreement. It is an undeniable fact that today there is a State belonging to the Turkish Cypriot people on the island. The proposal of the TRNC was based on this fact.
The right of the Turkish Cypriot people to speak on the territory of this State, which has absolute sovereignty, belongs only to the Turkish Cypriot people. Both the Closed Maraş, Ercan State Airport and Famagusta Sea Port are part of our lands and are under the authority of our State. There is no transfer of this authority. Therefore, the Greek Cypriot leadership, which makes politics over our lands, must accept this fact. Unless this fact is accepted, every step taken, whatever the name, will be doomed to failure.
Source (Turkish): TRNC Ministry of Foreign Affairs
