President Ersin Tatar receives Gen. Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu, the Representative of the Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of Türkiye
“Many atrocities took place, and we endured great suffering, but as one of the two co-owners of the island of Cyprus, Turkish Cypriots resisted and survived. The existence and support of the Republic of Türkiye towards the Turkish Cypriot People at every stage gave us strength.”
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President Ersin Tatar received the Representative of the Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of Türkiye, Gen. Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu, who is visiting the TRNC to participate in the commemorating ceremonies on the 48th anniversary of the July 20 Cyprus Peace Operation.
General Bayraktaroğlu conveyed the warm greetings and respects of the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Türkiye, Hulusi Akar.
“The support of Türkiye at every stage in our struggle has given us strength”
President Tatar paid tribute to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Türkiye Bülent Ecevit and the Deputy Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan – who ordered the Peace Operation on July 20, 1974 as well as the Turkish Cypriot leader Dr. Fazıl Küçük and Founding President Rauf Denktaş, who led the Turkish Cypriots to their freedom.
“It has to be understood, by the international community, that the Turkish Cypriot people in Cyprus faced genocide prior to 1974. Many fatal incidents and terror were lived by the Turkish Cypriots on the island because of the aspiration to annex the island to Greece. However, the Turkish Cypriot people always put up a resistance. The fact that Türkiye was and is with us at every stage of our struggle has always given us strength. At present, the aim of the Greek-Greek Cypriot duo is to spread their authority over the entire island and to make Turkish Cypriots a minority, whilst excluding Türkiye from the island,” the President said.
“Peace and stability through a settlement that is based on the sovereign equality and cooperation of two separate States that coexist side-by-side. . .is the most realistic form of settlement”
President Tatar stated that “the most rationale and realistic approach to continuing peace and stability” is through a settlement in Cyprus that is “based on sovereign equality and two separate States” that “co-exist side-by-side in a cooperative relationship”.
He said this political position “is fully supported by the Republic of Türkiye which is being put forward at every opportunity,” adding that the “war in Ukraine has once again clearly shown how justified our political position is”.
Stating that the Greek-Greek Cypriot duo is in an effort to make the Island of Cyprus a Hellenic Island, President Tatar pointed out that the Greek Cypriot side's military build-up in this geography is meaningless. “The Turkish Cypriot People always trust Motherland Türkiye,” he said.
Regional stability is important
Referring to the importance of balances in the region in protecting the legitimate rights of the Turkish Cypriot People in Blue Homeland, and national interests in matters such as airspace and Flight Information Region (FIR) lines, President Tatar emphasised the need to have a forward looking approach that takes into consideration previous failures, that is based on normalising relations between the two Sides and the coexistence of two States in Cyprus.
“The Turkish-Greek balance needs to be protected,” the President said. “The Turkish Cypriot People will never abandon the Guarantee of Motherland Türkiye.”
In return, General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu said he was delighted to be visiting the TRNC to take part in the commemoration celebrations on the 48th anniversary of the July 20 Peace and Freedom Day and emphasised full support to the sovereign equality and equal international status policy being put forward by President Tatar with regards to a settlement in Cyprus.
General Bayraktaroğlu conveyed the warm greetings and respects of the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Türkiye, Hulusi Akar.
“The support of Türkiye at every stage in our struggle has given us strength”
President Tatar paid tribute to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Türkiye Bülent Ecevit and the Deputy Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan – who ordered the Peace Operation on July 20, 1974 as well as the Turkish Cypriot leader Dr. Fazıl Küçük and Founding President Rauf Denktaş, who led the Turkish Cypriots to their freedom.
“It has to be understood, by the international community, that the Turkish Cypriot people in Cyprus faced genocide prior to 1974. Many fatal incidents and terror were lived by the Turkish Cypriots on the island because of the aspiration to annex the island to Greece. However, the Turkish Cypriot people always put up a resistance. The fact that Türkiye was and is with us at every stage of our struggle has always given us strength. At present, the aim of the Greek-Greek Cypriot duo is to spread their authority over the entire island and to make Turkish Cypriots a minority, whilst excluding Türkiye from the island,” the President said.
“Peace and stability through a settlement that is based on the sovereign equality and cooperation of two separate States that coexist side-by-side. . .is the most realistic form of settlement”
President Tatar stated that “the most rationale and realistic approach to continuing peace and stability” is through a settlement in Cyprus that is “based on sovereign equality and two separate States” that “co-exist side-by-side in a cooperative relationship”.
He said this political position “is fully supported by the Republic of Türkiye which is being put forward at every opportunity,” adding that the “war in Ukraine has once again clearly shown how justified our political position is”.
Stating that the Greek-Greek Cypriot duo is in an effort to make the Island of Cyprus a Hellenic Island, President Tatar pointed out that the Greek Cypriot side's military build-up in this geography is meaningless. “The Turkish Cypriot People always trust Motherland Türkiye,” he said.
Regional stability is important
Referring to the importance of balances in the region in protecting the legitimate rights of the Turkish Cypriot People in Blue Homeland, and national interests in matters such as airspace and Flight Information Region (FIR) lines, President Tatar emphasised the need to have a forward looking approach that takes into consideration previous failures, that is based on normalising relations between the two Sides and the coexistence of two States in Cyprus.
“The Turkish-Greek balance needs to be protected,” the President said. “The Turkish Cypriot People will never abandon the Guarantee of Motherland Türkiye.”
In return, General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu said he was delighted to be visiting the TRNC to take part in the commemoration celebrations on the 48th anniversary of the July 20 Peace and Freedom Day and emphasised full support to the sovereign equality and equal international status policy being put forward by President Tatar with regards to a settlement in Cyprus.