TR

President Ersin Tatar responds to the speech by the Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades at the 77th UN General Assembly

“Recognition of our sovereign equal State in the international arena is a right, and we will continue our struggle together with Motherland Türkiye for the realisation of this right with determination.”

The written statement of President Tatar reads as follows:

“We are not surprised at the remarks made by the Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades at the UN General Assembly, who not only went far beyond the known Greek Cypriot rhetoric but took his baseless claims to a new level in terms of both tone and substance.

In doing so, Anastasiades did not hesitate to exploit the so-called 'Government of Cyprus' seat, which the Greek Cypriot Side usurped since 1963 after having expelled the Turkish Cypriot co-partners by force of arms, as a means of attacking the Republic of Türkiye and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

The address of Anastasiades has gone on record as one of the most aggressive and hostile speeches made by the Greek Cypriot leadership to date. This extreme attitude of Anastasiadis was not only limited to the Republic of Türkiye and the TRNC, but also extended to the UN as an affront, targeting the prestige of the UN and belittling the organisation.

We would like to emphasise that the usurped title, that Anastasiades exploits, does not in any way represent the Turkish Cypriot People -- who have their own independent and sovereign State – neither does he have any right or authority to represent the entire island.   

The pronouncements of Anastasiades, who went beyond the limits in terms tone, content and style, are a complete distortion of the historical and current facts on the island and will go down as a dark stain in the history of Cyprus. It is clear that these statements, which we do not find worth answering in detail, will further fuel the lack of trust between the two Peoples in Cyprus and will deal a new blow to the efforts for a settlement.

It is very telling that the person who uttered these words represents the Side in Cyprus which is manifestly responsible for the massacres and atrocities committed against the Turkish Cypriot People from 1963 to 1974, and he has tried to brush these facts completely under the carpet, and had the temerity to try to preach human rights in Cyprus.

These massacres and atrocities that had reached of genocidal proportions against the Turkish Cypriot People, also undermined the very foundations of the 1960 partnership republic. Parallel to these atrocities, the Turkish Cypriots were expelled from all organs of the partnership state by force of arms, and the partnership republic was completely occupied by the Greek Cypriot side. These historical facts are also reflected in the relevant UN reports and international press of the time.

Furthermore, the party responsible for the failure to reach a settlement in Cyprus and who sabotaged these efforts are also reflected in the relevant reports of the Secretary-General. The personal responsibility of Anastasiadis in this is an undeniable fact. Nevertheless, the Greek Cypriot leader's use of the UN General Assembly rostrum as a platform for attack against the Republic of Türkiye and the TRNC is nothing but an abuse of an environment in which the Turkish Cypriot People are deprived of a right of say.

We strongly condemn the aggressive attitude of Anastasiadis and return his hostile words back to him. We call upon the international community to reconsider its biased stance towards the two Sides in Cyprus.

We reiterate our gratitude to the President of the Republic of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who voiced the feelings and expectations of the Turkish Cypriot People and our sovereign State, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, for his historic speech at the 77th UN General Assembly.

Recognition of our sovereign equal State in the international arena is a right, and we will resolutely continue our struggle with Motherland Türkiye for the realisation of this right with determination.”