President Ersin Tatar emphasises at the honorary doctorate ceremony held at Bursa Uludağ University:
“The continuation of the guarantee of the Republic of Türkiye and the presence of Turkish forces as a deterrant is our indispensable line.”
Photos
President Ersin Tatar has received an “honorary doctorate” in the field of international relations from the Bursa Uludağ University (BUÜ) Senate in a ceremony that was held at the Gendarme Specialist Corporal Sinan Yaylı Hall, where President Tatar was dressed in a gown and presented with an honorary doctorate diploma.
President Tatar, who participated in the opening lecture titled “The Importance of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in the Eastern Mediterranean”, said: “The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is our homeland. It is our indispensable line that the Turkish Cypriot people can experience freedom with their own dynamics in this homeland, that the Republic of Türkiye continues to be a guarantor, and that the Turkish forces remain as a deterrent on the island.”
Recalling a news item before his visit to New York, President Tatar continued: “The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, made a statement with regards to the lifting of the arms embargo by the US, with an excuse that the Greek Cypriot Side is acting together with the western world on the Ukraine War and because they fulfilled certain criteria in relation to some money laundering incidents.”
President Tatar added that ending arms embargoes will pave the way for the Greek Cypriot Side to increase its military weapons which will not help efforts to bring about a settlement in Cyprus.
“The Republic of Türkiye will not be a spectator to this development,” the President added. “If the Greek Cypriot Side is increasing its military capability through armament, then we, as the TRNC together with the Republic of Türkiye, must take counter measures accordingly. This is not a very good thing for Cyprus. However, this is something they need to consider. The Cyprus issue will nevertheless continue to be on the agenda.”
President Tatar underlined the importance of bringing the Cyprus issue to the correct basis through dialogue, adding that “both the Republic of Türkiye and the TRNC have come to a very important status in the eastern Mediterranean and this should be protected. . .I extend my sincere gratitude for the interest and hospitality shown to me during my visits to various regions of the Republic of Türkiye”. In a statement to the press following the ceremony, President Tatar emphasised that the TRNC is an inseparable part of the Turkish people and the great Turkish nation.
Stating that negotiations on the basis of a federation has been exhausted due to the continuous rejections by the Greek Cypriot Side, President Tatar continued:
“The Turkish Cypriot Side and the Republic of Türkiye have always maintained a goodwill approach throughout different periods and processes in our national struggle. However, our goodwill has never been reciprocated by the Greek-Greek Cypriot duo and this is what has inevitably paved the way to the adoption of our new policy.
In his historic speech delivered by the Republic of Türkiye President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the UN General Assembly in New York on September 20, (2022) he invited the international community to end the persecution, unjust isolation and embargo imposed on the Turkish Cypriot People. This is a practice that contradicts the universal values of some in the international community, and I would like to reiterate my gratitude to President Erdogan for his call to the international community to formally recognise the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.”
The President said: “Our way is to maintain our own national existence with the strengthening of the Turkish State in the eastern Mediterranean, and it is very important for us that the Turkish forces remain in Cyprus as a deterrent force, by foreseeing processes that may pose various dangers in the future. The Guarantee of Türkiye is pivotal for Turkish Cypriots. What is indispensable for the Turkish Cypriot people is the presence of Turkish troops in this critical region -- the eastern Mediterranean.”
“As a Turkish State at the most extreme point in the Eastern Mediterranean, it is our greatest wish to take our place in the Organisation of Turkish States and to be together with them in all kinds of activities”
President Tatar pointed out that there have been two separate States that have existed in Cyprus for 60 years and that the Turkish State in the North of the island of Cyprus “is important for the entire Turkish world”.
President Tatar said: “With the revival of the Organisation of Turkish States in recent years, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus must also exist in cooperation in order for all Turkish states to maintain their economic, political, cultural and existence under one roof. As a Turkish State, it is our greatest wish to take our place in the Organisation of Turkish States and to be together with them in all kinds of activities.”
President Tatar, in reference to the statement of Mr Çavuşoğlu that Türkiye will send more forces to the TRNC for the protection of the Turkish Cypriots following the lifting of the US arms embargo on South Cyprus, said: “I thank the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, for this support to our country and people.”
President Tatar reminded that it was the Turkish Peace Operation of 1974 that brought real peace to the island and stopped bloodshed and the atrocities being committed against Turkish Cypriots. He said ceasefire has been continuing since 1974, and added that the late former Turkish Prime Minister, Bülent Ecevit, who ordered the Peace Operation, had declared to the world at the time that Türkiye “is going to Cyprus for peace to both Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots”. The President underlined that despite arduous efforts to reach a settlement by the Turkish Side for more than half-a-century, federal based settlement plans and ideas have been flatly rejected by the Greek Cypriot Side – most remembered being the 2004 UN Comprehensive Settlement [Annan] Plan and again in Crans Montana in 2017. But he said peace has been prevailing on the island for the past 48 years.
President Tatar referred to the tensions being created by Greece and the Greek Cypriot Side in relation to hydrocarbons. “If they want to play games, this is their own business,” the President said. “The Republic of Türkiye is determined to defend the rights of Turkish Cypriots in terms of exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons in the eastern Mediterranean,” he added.
President Tatar, who participated in the opening lecture titled “The Importance of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in the Eastern Mediterranean”, said: “The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is our homeland. It is our indispensable line that the Turkish Cypriot people can experience freedom with their own dynamics in this homeland, that the Republic of Türkiye continues to be a guarantor, and that the Turkish forces remain as a deterrent on the island.”
Recalling a news item before his visit to New York, President Tatar continued: “The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, made a statement with regards to the lifting of the arms embargo by the US, with an excuse that the Greek Cypriot Side is acting together with the western world on the Ukraine War and because they fulfilled certain criteria in relation to some money laundering incidents.”
President Tatar added that ending arms embargoes will pave the way for the Greek Cypriot Side to increase its military weapons which will not help efforts to bring about a settlement in Cyprus.
“The Republic of Türkiye will not be a spectator to this development,” the President added. “If the Greek Cypriot Side is increasing its military capability through armament, then we, as the TRNC together with the Republic of Türkiye, must take counter measures accordingly. This is not a very good thing for Cyprus. However, this is something they need to consider. The Cyprus issue will nevertheless continue to be on the agenda.”
President Tatar underlined the importance of bringing the Cyprus issue to the correct basis through dialogue, adding that “both the Republic of Türkiye and the TRNC have come to a very important status in the eastern Mediterranean and this should be protected. . .I extend my sincere gratitude for the interest and hospitality shown to me during my visits to various regions of the Republic of Türkiye”. In a statement to the press following the ceremony, President Tatar emphasised that the TRNC is an inseparable part of the Turkish people and the great Turkish nation.
Stating that negotiations on the basis of a federation has been exhausted due to the continuous rejections by the Greek Cypriot Side, President Tatar continued:
“The Turkish Cypriot Side and the Republic of Türkiye have always maintained a goodwill approach throughout different periods and processes in our national struggle. However, our goodwill has never been reciprocated by the Greek-Greek Cypriot duo and this is what has inevitably paved the way to the adoption of our new policy.
In his historic speech delivered by the Republic of Türkiye President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the UN General Assembly in New York on September 20, (2022) he invited the international community to end the persecution, unjust isolation and embargo imposed on the Turkish Cypriot People. This is a practice that contradicts the universal values of some in the international community, and I would like to reiterate my gratitude to President Erdogan for his call to the international community to formally recognise the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.”
The President said: “Our way is to maintain our own national existence with the strengthening of the Turkish State in the eastern Mediterranean, and it is very important for us that the Turkish forces remain in Cyprus as a deterrent force, by foreseeing processes that may pose various dangers in the future. The Guarantee of Türkiye is pivotal for Turkish Cypriots. What is indispensable for the Turkish Cypriot people is the presence of Turkish troops in this critical region -- the eastern Mediterranean.”
“As a Turkish State at the most extreme point in the Eastern Mediterranean, it is our greatest wish to take our place in the Organisation of Turkish States and to be together with them in all kinds of activities”
President Tatar pointed out that there have been two separate States that have existed in Cyprus for 60 years and that the Turkish State in the North of the island of Cyprus “is important for the entire Turkish world”.
President Tatar said: “With the revival of the Organisation of Turkish States in recent years, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus must also exist in cooperation in order for all Turkish states to maintain their economic, political, cultural and existence under one roof. As a Turkish State, it is our greatest wish to take our place in the Organisation of Turkish States and to be together with them in all kinds of activities.”
President Tatar, in reference to the statement of Mr Çavuşoğlu that Türkiye will send more forces to the TRNC for the protection of the Turkish Cypriots following the lifting of the US arms embargo on South Cyprus, said: “I thank the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, for this support to our country and people.”
President Tatar reminded that it was the Turkish Peace Operation of 1974 that brought real peace to the island and stopped bloodshed and the atrocities being committed against Turkish Cypriots. He said ceasefire has been continuing since 1974, and added that the late former Turkish Prime Minister, Bülent Ecevit, who ordered the Peace Operation, had declared to the world at the time that Türkiye “is going to Cyprus for peace to both Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots”. The President underlined that despite arduous efforts to reach a settlement by the Turkish Side for more than half-a-century, federal based settlement plans and ideas have been flatly rejected by the Greek Cypriot Side – most remembered being the 2004 UN Comprehensive Settlement [Annan] Plan and again in Crans Montana in 2017. But he said peace has been prevailing on the island for the past 48 years.
President Tatar referred to the tensions being created by Greece and the Greek Cypriot Side in relation to hydrocarbons. “If they want to play games, this is their own business,” the President said. “The Republic of Türkiye is determined to defend the rights of Turkish Cypriots in terms of exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons in the eastern Mediterranean,” he added.