President Erhürman: "As the Turkish Cypriot people, we have always been here on this island, we are here today, and we will continue to be here even stronger in the future”
“As a people, the Turkish Cypriots are one of the two equal founding partners on this island. We are the inherent constituent people and an equal owner of the island.”
“Under no circumstances will this people accept their children being prevented from engaging with the world or being isolated from it.”
“The words of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, ‘Peace at home, peace in the world’, are our guiding principle.”
“The Turkish Cypriot people are a peace-loving people who have endured war, lost martyrs and missing persons, and paid a heavy price.”
“We want a settlement, and we are working sincerely towards achieving this objective.”
“Attempting to write history through perceptions, detached from facts and realities, is a futile endeavour.”
A military parade was held on Monday along Dr. Fazıl Küçük Boulevard in Lefkoşa to mark the 52nd anniversary of 20 July Peace and Freedom Day.
The ceremony was attended by President Tufan Erhürman; Vice President of the Republic of Türkiye Cevdet Yılmaz, representing President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan; Speaker of the Assembly of the Republic Ziya Öztürkler; Prime Minister Ünal Üstel; President of the Supreme Court Bertan Özerdağ; Second President Mehmet Ali Talat; Fifth President Ersin Tatar; Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to Lefkoşa Ali Murat Başçeri; Commander of the Cyprus Turkish Peace Forces Lieutenant General Sebahattin Kılınç; Commander of the Security Forces Major General İlker Görgülü; Chairperson of the main opposition Republican Turkish Party (CTP) Sıla Usar İncirli; ministers, visiting ministers, members of parliament, military officials, representatives of institutions, organisations and associations, and members of the public. Representatives of several political parties, together with delegations from Türkiye and Azerbaijan, also attended the ceremony as guests.
The ceremony began with the Turkish National Anthem and the raising of the flags, and continued with President Erhürman inspecting the ceremonial forces and extending his greetings to the public on the occasion.
Following the exchange of messages, flags carried to the ceremony by young athletes from Yavuz Landing Beach in Alsancak were presented to President Erhürman, who, together with Cevdet Yılmaz, Vice President of the Republic of Türkiye, later addressed the ceremony.
The full address delivered by President Erhürman at the ceremony is as follows:
“Vice President of the Republic of Türkiye, Mr. Cevdet Yılmaz, who is with us today; distinguished guests; esteemed members of the protocol; my dear fellow citizens,
Fifty-two years have passed since the Happy Peace Operation on 20 July 1974.
Some continue to claim that the ‘problem’ in Cyprus began on that date. However, the history of this island also includes the events of 1963, the period between 1963 and 1974, and 15 July 1974.
15 July 1974 was the date of the coup d’état carried out by the extensions of the fascist Greek Junta in Cyprus, with the aim of annexing the island to Greece. Had the Peace Operation not been carried out on 20 July 1974 by the armed forces of guarantor Türkiye together with the Turkish Cypriot Mujahideen, it is evident what further suffering the putschist Junta would have inflicted upon the Turkish Cypriots, and indeed not only upon them but also upon those Greek Cypriots whom it considered ‘traitors’.
Following 1974, the establishment of the Turkish Federated State of Cyprus in 1975 was, in itself, an indication for those who wished to read history through facts rather than perceptions. The Turkish Federated State of Cyprus fell within the framework of the 1977 -- 1979 Denktaş -- Makarios and Denktaş -- Kyprianou High Level Agreements, in fact it was one of the principal elements in defining that framework.
Attempting to write history based on perceptions, detached from facts and realities, is a futile endeavour. Yes, it is essential to know history and to draw lessons from it when shaping the future. We must never abandon the effort to learn and teach history, nor our commitment to shaping the future and looking ahead.
For decades, the Turkish Cypriot people have been expressing one truth very clearly: they are one of the two equal founding partners of this island. They are an inherent constituent people and equal owners of the island. They are not a minority and never will be. They know their history and remember the suffering they endured as if it were yesterday. Yet, for the future of their children, they have never refrained from making sincere efforts towards a solution. There are many examples of this commitment, which reached its highest point in a manner that no one in the world can ignore during the 2004 Annan Plan referenda and the 2017 Crans-Montana Conference.
My dear fellow citizens,
The demand of our people is clear. Under no circumstances will the Turkish Cypriot people relinquish their rights, their equality and their security on this island. Under no circumstances will this people accept their children being prevented from engaging with the world or being isolated from it. This people have always existed on this island and will never accept being ignored or treated as though they do not exist.
Our people remember not only 1963, the period between 1963 and 1974, and 15 July 1974. We also remember the statements made after the 2004 referenda by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the European Union and the Council of Europe, all of which recognised that the isolation imposed upon the Turkish Cypriots should be lifted following their 'Yes' vote.
As people who know full well and remember those statements, we must collectively draw lessons from the recent ‘rituals of looking at the north through a hole’, attempts to ignore the Turkish Cypriot missing persons, and one-sided, biased positions and decisions, all of which are realities that cannot be overlooked as we shape both the present and the future.
Despite all of this, the Turkish Cypriot people continue to demonstrate clearly their determination to achieve a settlement. The words of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, 'Peace at home, peace in the world', are our guiding principle. As a people who have experienced wars, gave martyrs and lost missing persons, we are amongst those who know best what war and conflict truly mean. Every child who is killed, injured, left hungry, deprived of medicine or medical care, or who loses his or her family in Gaza, in Iran, or anywhere else in the world, is our child; their pain is our pain.
It is for this very reason that lasting peace and stability are our objective on this island, in our region and throughout the world. Our fundamental understanding is that problems must be resolved not through war, but through dialogue and diplomacy. The Turkish Cypriot people are a peace-loving people who have endured war, lost martyrs and missing persons, and paid a heavy price.
My dear brothers and sisters,
Today, once again, what we convey to the world is the determination of our people to reach a settlement. We do not merely wish to appear as though we seek a settlement; we genuinely want a settlement. We look to the future, but without forgetting what has been experienced in the past. That is why, we say what Mr. António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General, had stated that if we are to try again, this time must be different. Drawing lessons from the history of negotiations, we say: let us first take serious steps towards building confidence, and then establish the rules of the game before the game itself begins, rather than simply resuming from where we left off as though nothing had happened and nothing had been experienced, only to face yet another disappointment.
Because we no longer want negotiations merely for the sake of negotiations, nor a 5+1 meeting simply for the sake of convening a 5+1 meeting. As United Nations Secretary-General Mr. Guterres has stated, we want a result-oriented process that delivers a settlement in line with the will of our people. As President of the Republic of Türkiye Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has stated, our aim is to achieve a fair, lasting and sustainable settlement to the Cyprus issue, which has continued since 1963.
My dear brothers and sisters,
Yes, our determination to achieve a settlement is clear. However, although negotiations and talks have continued for decades, a settlement has not been possible for reasons beyond our control, a reality recognised by the entire world. Therefore, no one should expect us to remain silent whilst our people and our children are prevented from engaging with the world, subjected to isolation, and whilst the rights of generations are deferred until after a settlement is reached. Nor should anyone hide behind the unfounded claim that, if the isolation imposed upon the Turkish Cypriots were eased or lifted, they would abandon their determination to achieve a settlement.
The rights of our athletes, businesspeople, scientists, artists and children cannot be deferred to an uncertain future. No one should expect us to remain silent when the rights of our children are violated on the grounds of the birthplace of their mother or father, or even where their parents were married; when children born on this island are subjected to discrimination; when their freedom of movement is obstructed; or when individuals are made to bear the burden of the property issue -- which remains unresolved because the Cyprus problem has not been resolved for reasons beyond our control -- even to the extent of being threatened with custodial sentences.
Let me repeat once again: the determination of the Turkish Cypriot people to achieve a settlement is clear. We want a settlement and we are working sincerely towards that objective. As we have always stated, we are conducting this process in consultation and in full coordination with the Republic of Türkiye, and we are seriously supporting the efforts of Mr. António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, However, let it be clearly understood that, where a settlement cannot be reached for reasons beyond our control, we categorically reject any attempt to make our people, and our children bear the cost of the lack of a settlement.
My dear brothers and sisters,
Before concluding my remarks, I would also like to touch briefly on domestic issues. Fifty-two years have passed since 20 July 1974, 51 years since the establishment of the Turkish Federated State of Cyprus, and 43 years since the proclamation of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
Throughout my life, I have never been one of those who say, 'Nothing will ever become of this country' or 'We cannot achieve anything.' We have a very beautiful country and a great many people who have been educated to world standards. We take pride in the achievements of our children, young people, athletes, scientists, artists and businesspeople, both here and around the world.
With the opportunities provided by our country and our human capital, I have complete confidence that we can achieve far more than we have accomplished thus far. We existed on this land under conditions far more difficult than those of today. Even under the harshest circumstances, we never lost our self-confidence. There is absolutely no reason for us to lose our confidence today. By upholding justice and merit, and by working diligently, I have not the slightest doubt that we will carry our existence into the future a lot stronger and leave our children a better country than the one we inherited. Let it never be forgotten that this is our duty both to our elders, who struggled for existence under the most difficult conditions on this land, and to our children, who deserve nothing less than the very best.
My dear fellow citizens,
I wholeheartedly congratulate you all on this 20 July Peace and Freedom Day. I pay tribute to and remember with respect and gratitude our Leader Dr. Fazıl Küçük, our Founding President Rauf Raif Denktaş, the then Prime Minister of the Republic of Türkiye Bülent Ecevit, the then Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Türkiye Necmettin Erbakan, and all our martyrs. May they all rest in eternal peace. I extend my gratitude to our veterans and wish them long, healthy lives.
I reiterate my declaration from here once again to the whole world: as the Turkish Cypriot people, we have always been here on this island, we are here today, and we will continue to be here even stronger in the future
Once again, I congratulate you all on the occasion of Peace and Freedom Day, and I embrace each and every one of you with respect and affection.”