President Ersin Tatar stated that the Turkish Cypriot People are celebrating the 41st anniversary of the proclamation of the TRNC, and thanked General Levent Ergün and his delegation for their visit to the country to take part in the celebrations.

Stating that the Cyprus issue started with the Turkish Cypriots being expelled from the state apparatus of the partnership 1960 Republic of Cyprus by force of arms, President Tatar said: “The Turkish Cypriot People were equal co-founders of the 1960 established Republic of Cyprus.  From December 1963 to 1974, the Turkish Cypriot People were subjected to island-wide attacks and atrocities were carried out as part of the aspiration of the Greek Cypriot Side to unite Cyprus with Greece. On July 15, 1974, a coup d’etat was staged by the Greek Military Junta, and the ‘Hellenic Republic of Cyprus’ was declared. Days later, Archbishop Makarios addressed the UN Security Council, where he declared that Greece invaded Cyprus. Türkiye was obliged under international law as a Guarantor country to save Turkish Cypriots from the threat of extermination. Hence,  the Cyprus Peace Operation was started on July 20, 1974 by the Republic of Türkiye, which put a stop to the atrocities and bloodshed, and brought peace to the Island of Cyprus.”

Stating that numerous negotiation processes have been held for a federal-based settlement, President Tatar added: “Negotiations on the federal basis, that have been held between the sides for more than half-a-century, have been tried, failed and exhausted. It is now time to look forward, to open a new page, and think outside the box, rather than insisting on negotiations on the exhausted basis which has not worked for more than 50-years. I have stated that we are open to a new and formal process following the reaffirmation of our inherent rights, namely our sovereign equality and equal international status. I have stated that we are open to dialogue. We are open to discussing cooperation on different areas between the two Sides.”

Explaining that “our inherent rights have been usurped,” President Tatar said:  “We have been denied the enjoyment of our basic human rights, including our right to direct flights, direct trade and direct contacts with other leaderships of the world. The Turkish Cypriot People are entitled to the same rights and fundamental freedoms as  the Greek Cypriot Side.”


“TRNC is an independent State”

President Tatar stated that the TRNC was proclaimed in 1983 by Founding President Rauf Denktaş, following many years of failed negotiations. “Establishing our republic was not easy,” the President continued. “The TRNC is an expression of the Turkish Cypriot Peoples desire as a sovereignty and independent People to coexist in peace in Cyprus,” President Tatar said.  “Our People have effectively been governing themselves as a State after being expelled from the partnership republic in December 1963, and this self-governance has continued to date.”

The President added that the Republic of Türkiye fully supports his two State vision and position, adding that the “TRNC has increased in geopolitical and geostrategic importance”, due to its “close proximity to Türkiye, its location in the eastern Mediterranean, and other developments in the region”.

“We are the southernmost independent Turkish state of the entire Turkic world and we are the  gatekeeper,” the President said.

President Tatar expressed his gratitude to the Turkish army for “acting as a deterrent force and for being the real guardians of peace and security for the Turkish Cypriot People”.

The President paid respect to the martyrs and veterans, adding: “What has happened in the Island of Cyprus is a real success story, following many years of struggle of the Turkish Cypriot People and we are walking on this path together with Motherland Türkiye.”