President Ersin Tatar addresses the Extraordinary Summit of the Organisation of Turkic States in Ankara
“I believe that the call for the formal recognition of the TRNC and for the end of the inhuman isolation imposed on Turkish Cypriot People is of great importance for the member states of the Organisation of Turkic States.”
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- “The TRNC is the representative and indomitable guardian of the Turkish presence in the eastern Mediterranean and the defender of the rights and interests of the Turkic world.”
- “They can come and sit at the negotiating table to find a settlement to the Cyprus issue once our inherent rights and our inherent equal rights are accepted.”
- “Turkish Cypriot struggle for existence is against those who ignore the Turkish presence on the island of Cyprus.”
President Ersin Tatar has called for “concrete steps” to be taken by member states of the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS) with regards to the formal recognition of the TRNC and putting an end to the inhuman isolation of the Turkish Cypriot People.
The President made the call during his address at the Extraordinary Summit of the OTS, being held at the Presidential Complex in Ankara. President Tatar said: "I believe that together we will overcome the inhuman isolation imposed on my people, and I expect and hope that concrete steps will be taken in this direction.” President Tatar, who participated in the summit on the invitation of the Republic of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, emphasised that the TRNC is the “representative and indomitable guardian of the Turkish presence in the eastern Mediterranean”, and is protecting the “rights and interests of the Turkish world” in the region.
Held under the theme of “Humanitarian Aid”, the meeting was held for the head of states between 12.00pm to 2pm local time. The Extraordinary Summit of the Organisation of Turkic States, of which the TRNC is an observer member, was held upon the request of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The Summit was attended by President of the Republic of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of Azerbaijan İlham Aliyev, President of Kazakhstan Kasım Cömert Tokayev, President of Kyrgyzstan Sadir Caparov. President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Ersin Tatar, Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban and the National Leader of the Turkmen People and the Chairman of the People’s Council of Turkmenistan Gurbangulu Berdimuhamedov.
The summit commenced with the opening address of President Erdoğan, who made particular reference to the participation of President Ersin Tatar at the Extra Ordinary Summit of the OTS.
Erdoğan: “Our family council has become stronger with the joining of the TRNC”
During his address, President Erdoğan made specific reference to the participation of President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Ersin Tatar at the Extra Ordinary Meeting of the OTS and stated: “Our family council has become stronger with the participation of the TRNC. We have embodied our support for the Turkish Cypriot people. We will continue our struggle for the recognition of the TRNC and the removal of the isolations that the Turkish Cypriot people have been subjected to.”
Following the speech by President Erdoğan, a video of the aid activities of OTS member states and observers was screened, and a minute's silence was observed for those who lost their lives in the recent devastating earthquakes in Türkiye. This was followed by speeches by head of states who attended the summit, the President of the White Beards Council Binali Yıldırım and the OTS Secretary General and Kyrgyzstan's Ambassador to Ankara Kubanicbek Ömuraliyev.
President Tatar: “The Republic of Türkiye is a great state that shall heal its wounds at the earliest possible time.”
President Ersin Tatar commenced his address by greeting the head of states on behalf of the TRNC and expressing his pleasure for being at the summit with his compatriots. President Tatar shared his sadness about the earthquake disaster that occurred in Türkiye on February 6, and said that right after the earthquake, the TRNC, like other countries, dispatched emergency units and expert personnel to the region as quickly as possible, and that all people living in the TRNC also showed unprecedented unity and sent aid voluntarily to the region. President Tatar stated that dozens of states, including OTS member states, rushed to the aid of Türkiye at her time of need, which “is an indicator of just how strong the relations are between Türkiye and the international arena”.
“There is no doubt that we will do whatever it takes and shall stand in solidarity with Türkiye”
President Tatar continued: “Unfortunately, we lost tens of thousands of our compatriots in the disaster of the century. In the presence of the President [Erdoğan], I reiterate my condolences to the great Turkish Nation and a speedy recovery due to the losses suffered as a result of the earthquakes. May those who lost their lives rest in eternal peace and I wish for patience and strength to the bereaved families who lost their loved ones. I wish those who were injured a speedy recovery.”
President Tatar added: “As the TRNC, we also lost people and we are in deep sorrow and mourning for the tens of thousands of lives lost here as well as the loss of lives of two student Volleyball teams we have called our Champion Angels, of the Gazimağusa Türk Maarif College, their teachers and family members, who were visiting Adıyaman, to participate in a tournament. Furthermore, we also lost other people and relatives of our citizens who were residing in the areas affected by the earthquakes. We share the great pain and sadness. I wish God's mercy once again for all those who died and reiterate my sincere condolences to everybody.”
Expressing that the Republic of Türkiye is a “great and powerful state”, President Tatar said: “The Republic of Türkiye is a great state that can heal its wounds as soon as possible. In these efforts, I have no doubt that we, as the TRNC, and countries that make up the Organisation of Turkic States, will mobilise all our means and do whatever we can in solidarity with the Republic of Türkiye.”
The President added that “the organisation of this summit is both important for us in terms of timing and enhancing our solidarity, because it is being held at a time when there are intense ongoing efforts to heal the deep wounds of the earthquake disaster”.
“The catastrophic earthquakes have reminded us that we should always be prepared for natural disasters”
Noting that the February 6 earthquakes have “reminded us on the need to be prepared against natural disasters at all times”, President Tatar emphasised the “importance of determining what should be carried out in order to minimise the damage and losses stemming from an earthquake, by benefitting from science and institutional memory”.
President Tatar said: “In this period, when we once again realise the importance of the survival of our people, the defence of our country and the struggle against different types of natural disasters, we appreciate that it is vital to closely follow technology and the world in the mission of saving lives, providing effective, adequate, educated and conscious service. The importance on the need to have a fast and systematic working mechanism that is prepared and active for every eventuality has emerged once again.”
Expressing his belief that the Turkic world will establish a “closer relationship through cooperation in the field of disaster and emergency management”,
President Tatar pointed out that the TRNC is excluded from similar humanitarian initiatives under the umbrella of the United Nations and the European Union due to unfair political grounds. He emphasised that he is honoured to be representing the TRNC at the Organisation of Turkic States.
President Tatar stated his wish for the initiative taken at the Extraordinary Summit of the OTS to yield positive and tangible results, and for coordinated and effective cooperation against possible disasters in the Turkic geography to be realised, and for the Turkic peoples, who have deep historical and cultural ties, to stand by their cognates in difficult times.