President Ersin Tatar participates on live televised programme on GB News hosted by Martin Daubney
President Ersin Tatar has participated in a live television programme on GB News hosted by Martin Daubney on Monday evening.
President Tatar stated that he is paying a visit to the UK to participate in different events commemorating the Turkish Peace Operation 50 years ago following a coup d’etat by the Greek Junta, which was a violation of the Cyprus constitution.
“Türkiye, as a guarantor power, was obliged to intervene to protect the Turkish Cypriots and to stop the unification of Cyprus with Greece,” President Tatar said. “Since then, the Turkish Cypriots have consolidated their position in the North with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. The Greek Cypriots – who are known as the ‘Republic of Cyprus’ are in reality, are a purely Greek Cypriot State.”
Making a call to the UK, President Tatar added that “in the Island of Cyprus there are two States. In practice, there have been two States that have been in existence since 1963,” adding that when Britain had departed from the Island and retained two Sovereign Base Areas, a new partnership State was established in 1960 by two co-founders – the Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots.
“When the British left the Island, which had been a Crown colony, they made a promise to the Turkish Cypriots that they would be equal founders of the Republic of Cyprus together with the Greek Cypriots. However, in 1963, President Makarios stated that the founding of the new republic was merely a stepping stone to unite the Island of Cyprus with Greece (ENOSIS). The Turkish Cypriots were then pushed out of the republic by force of arms, and we had to wait for Türkiye, our Motherland, to intervene in Cyprus. . . to stop the violence, in order for the Turkish Cypriots to be able to coexist with the Greek Cypriots.”
“Now, I am calling for justice for my people. The Greek Cypriots have their own recognised State which is also a member of the EU, which they gained very unfairly following their rejection of a UN Comprehensive Settlement [Annan] Plan 20 years ago in a simultaneous referenda. After saying ‘no’ to the plan, the Greek Cypriots were rewarded with EU membership, whilst the Turkish Cypriots who backed the plan were left out in the cold. The Turkish Cypriots were promised in that period, that as long as they vote in favour of the settlement plan, the inhuman isolation and restrictions would be ended on them, irrespective of the Greek Cypriot vote. However, none of this has come to fruition,” President Tatar said.
The President added: “The unjust embargoes and isolation, including the lack of direct flights, direct trade and direct contact, are continuing to be imposed on the Turkish Cypriots, because the Greek Cypriots are today using their position in the EU. . .to push Turkish Cypriots with the embargoes, so as to impose a solution on us. We will never accept an imposed solution.”
Answering a question by Mr Daubney about his visit to the British capital and his participation in Parliamentary events, and his expectation from the UK government to help the TRNC, President Tatar stated: “There are more than 350,000 Turkish Cypriots living in the UK. We have an estimated 20,000 British expats residing in Northern Cyprus. We have over the years made very good connections. We call our people here British Turkish Cypriots. They are integrated with British society. We have thousands of people who support the Turkish Cypriots, but the inequality against my people is unfortunately still continuing.”
President Tatar stated that he is asking the Government of the UK, one of the guarantor powers which has responsibilities and obligations to both Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots, to review its policy on Cyprus and the “unequal treatment of the Turkish Cypriot People”, adding: “I am calling for an end to the injustice. The UK knows what has historically been lived in Cyprus very well. We are calling on the UK to respect our inherent rights. We are also saying that one of the greatest injustices is the lack of direct flights. The UK should review its policy on this issue. The easing of our isolation will contribute to the peaceful coexistence with the Greek Cypriot Side.”
President Tatar added that he is putting forward a new vision for a two State solution. “We have had effectively been governing ourselves as a State for the past 60 years, and so have the Greek Cypriots. After all of these years, unification is absolutely impossible. There have been negotiations held on the federal basis for more than 50 years. None of these talks have produced a settlement. The last failures of these were seen in the 2004 Annan Plan, and lastly in Crans-Montana in July 2017. All of these processes failed miserably because the Greek Cypriots are a recognised state in the EU. They are simply not ready to share power, wealth and the governance of the Island with the Turkish Cypriots. All federal-based negotiations have been exhausted over the years. My vision is for a two State solution in Cyprus. Let us cooperate on energy, water, natural resources and many other areas that will be a win-win for both the Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots.”
President Tatar stated that he is paying a visit to the UK to participate in different events commemorating the Turkish Peace Operation 50 years ago following a coup d’etat by the Greek Junta, which was a violation of the Cyprus constitution.
“Türkiye, as a guarantor power, was obliged to intervene to protect the Turkish Cypriots and to stop the unification of Cyprus with Greece,” President Tatar said. “Since then, the Turkish Cypriots have consolidated their position in the North with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. The Greek Cypriots – who are known as the ‘Republic of Cyprus’ are in reality, are a purely Greek Cypriot State.”
Making a call to the UK, President Tatar added that “in the Island of Cyprus there are two States. In practice, there have been two States that have been in existence since 1963,” adding that when Britain had departed from the Island and retained two Sovereign Base Areas, a new partnership State was established in 1960 by two co-founders – the Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots.
“When the British left the Island, which had been a Crown colony, they made a promise to the Turkish Cypriots that they would be equal founders of the Republic of Cyprus together with the Greek Cypriots. However, in 1963, President Makarios stated that the founding of the new republic was merely a stepping stone to unite the Island of Cyprus with Greece (ENOSIS). The Turkish Cypriots were then pushed out of the republic by force of arms, and we had to wait for Türkiye, our Motherland, to intervene in Cyprus. . . to stop the violence, in order for the Turkish Cypriots to be able to coexist with the Greek Cypriots.”
“Now, I am calling for justice for my people. The Greek Cypriots have their own recognised State which is also a member of the EU, which they gained very unfairly following their rejection of a UN Comprehensive Settlement [Annan] Plan 20 years ago in a simultaneous referenda. After saying ‘no’ to the plan, the Greek Cypriots were rewarded with EU membership, whilst the Turkish Cypriots who backed the plan were left out in the cold. The Turkish Cypriots were promised in that period, that as long as they vote in favour of the settlement plan, the inhuman isolation and restrictions would be ended on them, irrespective of the Greek Cypriot vote. However, none of this has come to fruition,” President Tatar said.
The President added: “The unjust embargoes and isolation, including the lack of direct flights, direct trade and direct contact, are continuing to be imposed on the Turkish Cypriots, because the Greek Cypriots are today using their position in the EU. . .to push Turkish Cypriots with the embargoes, so as to impose a solution on us. We will never accept an imposed solution.”
Answering a question by Mr Daubney about his visit to the British capital and his participation in Parliamentary events, and his expectation from the UK government to help the TRNC, President Tatar stated: “There are more than 350,000 Turkish Cypriots living in the UK. We have an estimated 20,000 British expats residing in Northern Cyprus. We have over the years made very good connections. We call our people here British Turkish Cypriots. They are integrated with British society. We have thousands of people who support the Turkish Cypriots, but the inequality against my people is unfortunately still continuing.”
President Tatar stated that he is asking the Government of the UK, one of the guarantor powers which has responsibilities and obligations to both Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots, to review its policy on Cyprus and the “unequal treatment of the Turkish Cypriot People”, adding: “I am calling for an end to the injustice. The UK knows what has historically been lived in Cyprus very well. We are calling on the UK to respect our inherent rights. We are also saying that one of the greatest injustices is the lack of direct flights. The UK should review its policy on this issue. The easing of our isolation will contribute to the peaceful coexistence with the Greek Cypriot Side.”
President Tatar added that he is putting forward a new vision for a two State solution. “We have had effectively been governing ourselves as a State for the past 60 years, and so have the Greek Cypriots. After all of these years, unification is absolutely impossible. There have been negotiations held on the federal basis for more than 50 years. None of these talks have produced a settlement. The last failures of these were seen in the 2004 Annan Plan, and lastly in Crans-Montana in July 2017. All of these processes failed miserably because the Greek Cypriots are a recognised state in the EU. They are simply not ready to share power, wealth and the governance of the Island with the Turkish Cypriots. All federal-based negotiations have been exhausted over the years. My vision is for a two State solution in Cyprus. Let us cooperate on energy, water, natural resources and many other areas that will be a win-win for both the Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots.”