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President Ersin Tatar attends the commemoration ceremonies of Gaziveren and Çamlıköy martyrs

“There will never be a return to the negotiating table until the sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Cypriots are accepted.”

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President Ersin Tatar attended the ceremonies held in front of the Veteran Martyrs' Monument and the Çamlıköy Martyr Emin İzzet Bust for those who were martyred on the occasion of the 59th anniversary of the Gaziveren and Çamlıköy resistance.

In his speech at the ceremony, President Tatar noted that the devastating earthquake disaster that occurred in Türkiye on February 6th caused great pain to our country and the Republic of Türkiye, and he once again expressed his condolences to those who lost their lives in the earthquake and to the Turkish people.

Stating that the Turkish Cypriot people suffered a lot and went through difficult times in these lands, President Tatar said that they showed resistance in unity and solidarity during difficult times, and that the Motherland Türkiye was always with the Turkish Cypriots in this process.

Reminding that the Turkish Cypriots were the founding partners of the Republic of Cyprus in 1960, President Tatar explained that the Greek Cypriots and then President Makarios saw this treaty as a springboard to Enosis and that genocides were committed.
President Tatar underlined that Turkish Cypriots also resisted Greek Cypriot attacks in Gaziveren and Çamlıköy and gave martyrs for independence, freedom and sovereignty. “We have never forgotten our martyrs, we will never forget them.”
President Tatar continued his speech as follows:

“We are facing injustices. With the European Union games, Greek Cypriots talk about a federal agreement in Cyprus in different international platforms. What they mean by an agreement on a federal basis is to draw us into the Republic of Cyprus, to cut us off from the Motherland over time and make us a minority.”

“We have seen these games a lot”

President Tatar emphasised that the Turkish Cypriots will not return to the negotiating table if our sovereign equality and equal international status is not accepted. “We have seen these games before, they want us to give up and subject us to the Greek Cypriots. Our martyrs sacrificed their lives so that we can live independently, freely and with dignity.”

“The guarantorship of Motherland Türkiye and the presence of Turkish soldiers are our red line”

Emphasising that the Turkish Cypriots are an inseparable part of the Turkish nation, President Tatar stated that we will continue to live with dignity as a Turkish state in the Eastern Mediterranean. “We will never agree to go back to 1974. The guarantorship of the Motherland Türkiye and the presence of the Turkish soldiers are our red line and vital for us," he said.

President Tatar stated that cruel embargoes and isolations are still applied to the Turkish Cypriot people and all kinds of intrigues are being played to destroy this resistance and render  us dependent on the South. The Turkish Cypriot people will continue their resistance and if there is an agreement, we can take part in this agreement with our sovereign state, stated the President.