President Ersin Tatar held an online meeting with Turkish Cypriot civil community representatives based in Melbourne, Australia.


The President, who reiterated the importance he attributes to Turkish Cypriots living abroad including the estimated 50,000 residing in Australia and their efforts to preserve their identity and culture,  had also held an online meeting with Turkish Cypriot representatives in Sydney, Australia.


The meetings  with Turkish Cypriots living in Australia continue from the online meetings he had held with them in April 2021.


Speaking at the virtual event, President Tatar said: “I am not only the President of the Turkish Cypriots living in the TRNC, but also the President of the Turkish Cypriots living abroad.  The Turkish Cypriots living abroad are very important for the TRNC. I commend you all for your ongoing efforts to preserve your culture and identity whilst at the same time trying to make a living.”


The President added that “we have made great sacrifices as people to reach the present day in our struggle for existence as one of the co-owners of this island”. He said it is “important for Turkish Cypriot youth abroad to grasp the nature of the national cause and understand the Cyprus issue.  It is my wish that these beneficial meetings, which enables me to listen to your views and concerns on different issues, will be continued”.


In the continuation of his speech, President Tatar underlined that the Turkish Cypriot people are one of the two co-owners of Cyprus and are “at the very least as sovereign as the Greek Cypriots”. He said the “Turkish Cypriots are a sovereign people with the right to self-determination,” adding: “Despite the inhumane embargoes and isolation imposed on the Turkish Cypriot people, the TRNC has, with the support of Motherland Turkey, achieved great successes. This is especially the case in the university and tourism sectors.”


The participants, on the other hand, expressed that they are happy for the meetings to continue. They emphasised that even though they are thousands of kilometres away physically, their homeland TRNC is always in their thoughts and hearts. Expressing that they are ready for all kinds of assistance for the development of ties and cooperation opportunities between the TRNC and the Turks in Australia, the participants also expressed their various problems and conveyed practical solutions to the problems arising from citizenship, representation and long distance to President Ersin Tatar.


Participating in the online event were TRNC Honourable Representative Hasan Sayar, North Cyprus Turkish Community of Victoria President Candan Ahmet, Cyprus Turkish Islamic Community of Victoria President Osman Kemal Altunç, Turkish Cypriot Cultural and Solidarity Association in Australia President and Turkish Cypriot Radio coordinator Hakkı Süleyman and Albion Türk Gücü Football Club President Atay Şenol.


Also taking part from the Presidency were Presidential International Relations and Diplomacy Special Adviser Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Işıksal and Foreign Press Officer Kerem Haser.