President Ersin Tatar departed for Azerbaijan to attend leaders’ summit of the Organization of Turkic States
“We would like to take part in every field where the Organization of Turkic States have active roles and to develop the relations with our institutions and organizations.”
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President Ersin Tatar was accompanied by Parliament Speaker Zorlu Töre, Minister of Foreign Affairs Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu and Minister of Labor and Social Security Sadık Gardiyanoğlu.
President Tatar held a press conference at Ercan Airport prior to his departure for Azerbaijan and noted "We are stronger together, we are going to meet our other family".
President Tatar also said, "As the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, our primary goal is to advance the north’s status as an observer member of the OTS.”
The President highlighted that he would participate in the summit upon the invitation of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and emphasised the importance of the summit.
President Tatar thanked the Organization of Turkic States for its support to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and stressed that TRNC was accepted to an international organisation under its Constitutional name for the first time.
He reiterated it is significant in terms of supporting the two-state policy, President Tatar said the state is represented at every level in every organisation.
The President said the following:
“Upon the invitation of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, we are going to attend the informal Summit of Heads of State of the Organization of Turkic States (TDT), which will be held on 5-6 July 2024 in Shusha, Azerbaijan.
In the Summit with the theme of 'Informal Summit of Heads of State of the Organization of Turkic States (TDT), Building a Sustainable Future with Transport Connectivity and Climate Action', which will be organised by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, the key issues and the organization's agenda will be discussed.
At the summit, important decisions are expected to be taken and documents related to various projects will be presented for approvals. At the end of the summit, it is also expected that the Heads of State will sign the Karabakh Declaration, as well as some other important documents.
As you remember, TRNC was unanimously accepted as an Observer Member of the Organization of Turkic States at the 9th Summit meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Organization of Turkic States (TDT) held in Semerkand, Uzbekistan on 11 November 2022.”
President Tatar thanked the President of the Republic of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the President of Azerbaijan İlham Aliyev, the heads of state of other brother countries that are members of the Organization of Turkic States, the General Secretariat of the Organization of Turkic States and those who contributed for their support in the acceptance of the TRNC as an observer member of the Organization of Turkic States.
President Tatar pointed out that the organisatiob, which was established with the Nakhchivan Treaty in 2009, includes Azerbaijan, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan as member states as of November 11, 2022, and Turkmenistan, Hungary and TRNC as observer member states.
“For the first time, TRNC was included in an international organization under its constitutional name, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus,” President Tatar said. “This historical development supports our ongoing two-state political struggle and is significant step for us.”
President Tatar thanked Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev for the great support he has given to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus so far and for inviting them to the Shusha Summit.
President Tatar underlined that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which is an integral part of the Turkish World and the guardian of the Turkish presence in the Eastern Mediterranean, would like to take part in all areas where the Organization of Turkic States operates and develop relations with all its institutions and organizations.
The President said “Advancing the north’s status as an observer member of the OTS is our primary goal and that sovereign equality and international equal status are very important for the two peoples of Cyprus to live in peace and tranquility. President Tatar added that it is known the reason for failure of the negotiation process, which has been going on for more than 50 years for the solution of the Cyprus issue and continued as follows:
“The Greek Cypriots could not get rid of the mentality that saw them as the sole owner of the island and ignored the Turkish Cypriots.
Our policy, which is carried out to further deepen the new understanding that envisages the cooperation of two sovereign and equal states in full unity of thought and action with Türkiye, continues increasingly. Recognition of the sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Cypriot people will pave the way for a solution.”
President Ersin Tatar expressed hope that the significant visit to be beneficial and added that OTS' support in the struggle of the Turkish Cypriot people is important for the strengthening, development and removal of unfair isolation and obstacles of the TRNC.
While the studies on "Whether there is a common ground on the Cyprus issue or not" are ongoing, the President described the attempts on property as insincerity and noted that all kinds of solutions to the problems were found in the Immovable Property Commission (TMK) and that it was wrong to deal with this issue with individuals.
The President said “Our effort is to strengthen the TRNC in every field," and added that the struggle for the people to achieve a prosperous future continues and that the support of the Organization of Turkic States is important at this stage. President Tatar said, “We are natural members of the Turkish union, we are stronger together. We are going to meet our other family”