President Ersin Tatar attends ceremony commemorating Martyr Allahverdi Kılıç
“The reaffirmation of our sovereign equality and equal international status is necessary in order to start new and formal negotiations”
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President Ersin Tatar attended the commemoration ceremony held in front of the guard post in the village of Güvercinlik on the 27th anniversary of the martyrdom of Infantryman Private Allahverdi Kılıç, who was shot by Greek Cypriot forces when he was on guard duty whilst performing his military service with the Security Forces Command.
In his speech at the ceremony, President Ersin Tatar stated that “what are being pointed out here at the ceremony are the sacrifices made for our people to live in peace, security and tranquillity in the country”.
President Tatar stated that negotiations on the federal basis have been exhausted due to the Greek Cypriot mentality which sees Cyprus as a Hellenic island and the Turkish Cypriot People a minority.
“Negotiations for a federal based settlement have failed to produce an outcome, because of the Greek Cypriot Side’s rejections for a power sharing agreement, which has come about because they have unjustly been treated as the sole government of the island,” President Tatar said. “However, the realities of the island are that there are two inherent peoples, with equal inherent rights. The 1960 established partnership state has been usurped by the Greek Cypriot Side, and Turkish Cypriot People were expulsed from the state apparatus in 1963. Those who know Cyprus history who are impartial know full well what has happened here, and the injustices faced by Turkish Cypriot People, whose only goal was to live in peace.”
President Tatar stated that he was putting forward a new basis for a settlement, based on the sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Cypriot Side. “The existence of two States, co-existing as good neighbours in a cooperative relationship, is a realistic and sustainable settlement. However, insisting on the same half-a-century old failed basis will serve nothing accept perpetuating the unacceptable status-quo, which is the aim of the Greek Cypriot Side.”
In reference to what took place in Pile, President Tatar said that “the construction of this road is purely for humanitarian reasons. However, the Turkish Cypriot People have sent a message to the world that we will defend our borders”.
President Tatar stated that the borders were drawn from east to west with the liberation of Yeşilırmak in the 1974 Cyprus Peace Operation, and that the Turkish and Turkish Cypriot forces shall continue to protect the borders with determination, as they have done to the present day.
President Tatar said the TRNC whole heartedly welcomed the recent statements by the President of Azerbaijan, İlham Aliyev, that the TRNC flag will be flown at events to be held in Azerbaijan. “I once again extend my gratitude and greetings to President Aliyev,” President Tatar said.
In reference to the upcoming UN General Assembly meetings in New York, President Tatar said: “We will be meeting with the UN Secretary-General in New York, where we shall be putting forward our views. It is not possible for us to start new and formal negotiations until our sovereign equality and equal international status is accepted and reaffirmed, which is a national policy fully supported by Türkiye.”
President Tatar commemorated Martyr Allahverdi Kılıç and all martyrs adding: "May they all rest in eternal peace".
President Tatar also visited Burhan Cihangir, who was injured in the same attack and became a veteran, and met with his family and other veterans.