Cyprus issue cannot be solved without Türkiye: Turkish Cypriot president
If Türkiye had not intervened, "Cyprus would have faced a genocide similar to what is happening in Gaza today," asserts Turkish parliament speaker at event marking 50th Anniversary of the Cyprus Peace Operation.
In 1974, a Greek Cypriot coup aimed at Greece’s annexation of the island led to Türkiye’s military intervention as a guarantor power to protect Turkish Cypriots from persecution and violence. / Photo: AA
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Ersin Tatar has reaffirmed TRNC’s unwavering alliance with Türkiye, emphasising that the Cyprus issue cannot be solved without Türkiye.
Speaking at the International Cyprus Symposium on the 50th Anniversary of the Cyprus Peace Operation at Istanbul University, Tatar expressed pride in Türkiye’s presence in the eastern Mediterranean despite various challenges.
He stressed the commitment to strengthening TRNC's economic, social, and cultural heritage, condemning the international community's human rights violations aimed at undermining the Turkish Cypriot people and dragging them into the federation solution.
In 1974, a Greek Cypriot coup aimed at Greece’s annexation of the island led to Türkiye’s military intervention as a guarantor power to protect Turkish Cypriots from persecution and violence.
Recalling the 1974 Peace Operation's success, Tatar emphasised the importance of Türkiye’s support for solving the Cyprus issue, declaring: "Türkiye will always be there as the motherland, and we will manage this process together."
"Our institutional and conjunctural existence depends on our walking this path with Türkiye," Tatar asserted.
'A genocide similar to Gaza'
Speaking at the event, Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus affirmed Türkiye's unwavering support for Northern Cyprus, pledging to defend its sovereign equality on all international platforms.
He praised the courage of those involved in the 1974 operation, attributing the continued existence of Turks and a Turkish state in the island to their efforts.
"If Türkiye had not made that intervention, Cyprus would have faced a genocide similar to what is happening in Gaza today," Kurtulmus stressed.
He criticised the international system's failure to resolve both the Cyprus issue and the human tragedy in Gaza, noting the system's historical inability to provide solutions.
Kurtulmus further underlined Cyprus’ strategic importance, stating the island has been the centre of attention of all states and civilisations throughout history.
He noted that it is unthinkable for Türkiye to give up the Cyprus issue, and vowed that the Turkish Cypriot state will persist.
The island of Cyprus has been mired in a decades-long dispute between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, despite a series of diplomatic efforts to achieve a comprehensive settlement.
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