President Ersin Tatar receives Binali Yıldırım, Chairman of Council of Elders of the Organisation of Turkic States
Discussions held on a two State settlement in Cyprus and latest developments
Photos
President Ersin Tatar has held a meeting with Binali Yıldırım, the Chairman of Council of Elders of the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS), who is paying a visit to the TRNC to attend a conference titled “The Place and Importance of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in the Integrated Turkic World”.
Speaking during the meeting held at the Presidency in Lefkoşa on Monday, President Tatar stated that the TRNC, a Turkish State located in the eastern Mediterranean in a geostrategic region, was admitted as an observer member to the Organisation of Turkic States under its constitutional name in November 2022 following the efforts of the President of the Republic of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
“This is a significant and historical step for us,” President Tatar said. “We are being invited to many summits attended by other heads of states, and TRNC-based institutions are also being invited to meetings and are participating in many areas of cooperation.”
President Tatar stated that the Ministerial Meeting of the OTS on Disaster and Emergency held last week in Baku, Azerbaijan, was also attended by Dursun Oğuz, the TRNC Minister of Interior. “I am thankful to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, İlham Aliyev, who spoke at this important meeting, where he stated that the flag of the TRNC will be flown at events to be held in Azerbaijan. These are significant steps towards the recognition of the TRNC,” President Tatar said.
In reference to the Cyprus issue, President Tatar added: “We have been stating the need to approach the Cyprus issue with fresh new ideas, to think outside the box, so that new and formal negotiations can be started on a realistic and sustainable basis. There is a need for the sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Cypriot Side to be reaffirmed. Federal basis of negotiations has been exhausted. The Greek Cypriot Side, who have been left with no incentive or overarching interest to share power and prosperity with the Turkish Cypriot Side on the basis of equality, have rejected numerous plans and ideas under this power sharing basis for more than half-a-century.”
President Tatar said there are attempts being made to “sever the ties between the TRNC and Motherland Türkiye within the European Union. . .which will never be allowed”.
The President said that the participation of the TRNC in the OTS and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation are important internationally, adding: “However, the Turkish Cypriot People continue to face a great injustice due to the isolation and restrictions, preventing our People from being able to trade directly and to have direct flights, which is a violation of our individual and collective human rights. Many international actors had made promises to end our isolation during the UN Comprehensive Settlement [Annan] Plan of 2004, which was accepted by the Turkish Cypriots, and rejected with a greater margin by Greek Cypriots in the separately held simultaneous referenda. Now, they are brushing these promises under the carpet, and are ignoring the humane issue. Our youth cannot even play international friendlies against other football teams.”
President Tatar stated that President Erdoğan, in his address at the 77th session of the UN General Assembly on September 20, 2022, had called for an end to the persecution, isolation and restrictions on the Turkish Cypriot People, and invited the international community to formally recognise the TRNC.
Stating that the “work is continuing for the acknowledgment, visibility and upgrading of the status of the TRNC,” President Tatar said: “We are the representatives of the Turkic world in eastern Mediterranean. We will continue with our struggle for justice, fairness, and for reaffirmation of our freedom and sovereignty. Our national policy is based on two equal and separate Sates for sustainable peace and stability for both Sides and the region.”
Binali Yıldırım, Chairman of Council of Elders of the Organisation of Turkic States, explained that he is in the TRNC in order to attend the conference that will discuss issues related to the injustices faced by the Turkish Cypriot People and the TRNC, which has joined the official platform in the OTS. “The participation of the TRNC in this platform is an important tangible step in addressing the inhumane isolation and putting an end to these restrictions,” Mr Yıldırım said.
Noting that the Republic of Türkiye and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spent great efforts for the TRNC to become a member of the Organisation of Turkic States, Mr Yıldırım said that “these are effective steps in countering the injustices and the isolation on the Turkish Cypriot People”.
Explaining that the admission of the TRNC to the Organisation of Turkic States “will provide a gateway for member states of the OTS to the eastern Mediterranean following Central Asia and the Caucasus,” Mr Yıldırım said that “all states are indeed aware of the significance of this situation”.
Pointing out that two States policy is the only solution for the Island of Cyprus, Mr Yıldırım underlined that “what has happened in the Pile-Yiğitler road construction reveals the importance of the issue”.
Binali Yıldırım expressed his pleasure to be in TRNC and conveyed the warm greetings of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Speaking during the meeting held at the Presidency in Lefkoşa on Monday, President Tatar stated that the TRNC, a Turkish State located in the eastern Mediterranean in a geostrategic region, was admitted as an observer member to the Organisation of Turkic States under its constitutional name in November 2022 following the efforts of the President of the Republic of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
“This is a significant and historical step for us,” President Tatar said. “We are being invited to many summits attended by other heads of states, and TRNC-based institutions are also being invited to meetings and are participating in many areas of cooperation.”
President Tatar stated that the Ministerial Meeting of the OTS on Disaster and Emergency held last week in Baku, Azerbaijan, was also attended by Dursun Oğuz, the TRNC Minister of Interior. “I am thankful to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, İlham Aliyev, who spoke at this important meeting, where he stated that the flag of the TRNC will be flown at events to be held in Azerbaijan. These are significant steps towards the recognition of the TRNC,” President Tatar said.
In reference to the Cyprus issue, President Tatar added: “We have been stating the need to approach the Cyprus issue with fresh new ideas, to think outside the box, so that new and formal negotiations can be started on a realistic and sustainable basis. There is a need for the sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Cypriot Side to be reaffirmed. Federal basis of negotiations has been exhausted. The Greek Cypriot Side, who have been left with no incentive or overarching interest to share power and prosperity with the Turkish Cypriot Side on the basis of equality, have rejected numerous plans and ideas under this power sharing basis for more than half-a-century.”
President Tatar said there are attempts being made to “sever the ties between the TRNC and Motherland Türkiye within the European Union. . .which will never be allowed”.
The President said that the participation of the TRNC in the OTS and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation are important internationally, adding: “However, the Turkish Cypriot People continue to face a great injustice due to the isolation and restrictions, preventing our People from being able to trade directly and to have direct flights, which is a violation of our individual and collective human rights. Many international actors had made promises to end our isolation during the UN Comprehensive Settlement [Annan] Plan of 2004, which was accepted by the Turkish Cypriots, and rejected with a greater margin by Greek Cypriots in the separately held simultaneous referenda. Now, they are brushing these promises under the carpet, and are ignoring the humane issue. Our youth cannot even play international friendlies against other football teams.”
President Tatar stated that President Erdoğan, in his address at the 77th session of the UN General Assembly on September 20, 2022, had called for an end to the persecution, isolation and restrictions on the Turkish Cypriot People, and invited the international community to formally recognise the TRNC.
Stating that the “work is continuing for the acknowledgment, visibility and upgrading of the status of the TRNC,” President Tatar said: “We are the representatives of the Turkic world in eastern Mediterranean. We will continue with our struggle for justice, fairness, and for reaffirmation of our freedom and sovereignty. Our national policy is based on two equal and separate Sates for sustainable peace and stability for both Sides and the region.”
Binali Yıldırım, Chairman of Council of Elders of the Organisation of Turkic States, explained that he is in the TRNC in order to attend the conference that will discuss issues related to the injustices faced by the Turkish Cypriot People and the TRNC, which has joined the official platform in the OTS. “The participation of the TRNC in this platform is an important tangible step in addressing the inhumane isolation and putting an end to these restrictions,” Mr Yıldırım said.
Noting that the Republic of Türkiye and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spent great efforts for the TRNC to become a member of the Organisation of Turkic States, Mr Yıldırım said that “these are effective steps in countering the injustices and the isolation on the Turkish Cypriot People”.
Explaining that the admission of the TRNC to the Organisation of Turkic States “will provide a gateway for member states of the OTS to the eastern Mediterranean following Central Asia and the Caucasus,” Mr Yıldırım said that “all states are indeed aware of the significance of this situation”.
Pointing out that two States policy is the only solution for the Island of Cyprus, Mr Yıldırım underlined that “what has happened in the Pile-Yiğitler road construction reveals the importance of the issue”.
Binali Yıldırım expressed his pleasure to be in TRNC and conveyed the warm greetings of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.