President Ersin Tatar visits Cyprus Turkish Peace Forces Regiment in Lefkoşa, where he says: “The Turkish army will never again leave Cyprus”
President Ersin Tatar has said that the Turkish army will never again leave Cyprus. The President made the remarks during his visit to the Cyprus Turkish Peace Forces Regiment, based in Lefkoşa.
In his speech during the visit the President commemorated the martyrs who have fallen in Çanakkale (Gallipoli), which ended with victory against the allies and added: “Children and young people gave their lives and became martyrs for the survival of the homeland and the future of Turkey. The Turkish Cypriot people have been inspired and empowered by the Çanakkale spirit; the struggle waged by Great Leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and his principles have become a beacon of light and a guide for our struggle in Cyprus.”
President Tatar said that “with the support of Turkey at every level, Turkish Cypriot people succeeded in their resistance” adding: “The Turkish Cypriots, who are co-founding partners of the Republic of Cyprus through the Treaties of 1960, watched with great joy the return of the Turkish army to Cyprus who had left Cyprus back in 1878.”
Referring to the words of Şeherli Mehmet, the Grand Father of the Founding President, Rauf Denktaş, who, whilst watching the departing Turkish army from Cyprus in 1878 said ‘they will most definitely return one day’, President Tatar said: “And after 82 years, in accordance with the 1960 treaties, the Turkish army once again set foot in Cyprus which gave way to great joy for the Turkish Cypriot people. The Turkish army, who set foot in Cyprus after an absence of 82 years, will never leave again.”
President Tatar stated that after the Cyprus Turkish Peace Forces Regiment was deployed on the island with the rights emanating from the 1960 treaties, “our valuable commanders are fulfilling important duties which have been continuing to this day,” he said.
“When the past is also considered, the Cyprus issue is fundamentally a national issue, as well as being a sovereign issue. All of our efforts are for our existing sovereignty to be accepted by the world,” the President said.
“PEOPLE WHO DO NOT KNOW THEIR PAST AND HISTORY, CANNOT PLAN THE FUTURE”
President Tatar stated that Britain transferred sovereignty of the island to two peoples with the 1960 Treaties which were signed by the former Turkish Cypriot leader, Dr. Fazıl Küçük, saying that he wanted to reiterate the importance of “Turkish Cypriot people knowing our past and history; remembering and paying tribute to our martyrs; and learning from the past . . .those who do not know their past and history, cannot plan the future,” he said.
President Tatar also visited the museum located in the regiment, which shows the national struggle of the Turkish Cypriot people to survive on the island in the face of atrocities committed against them by the Greek Cypriot forces as from 1963 until 1974. President Tatar thanked the past and present commanders for their service in the TRNC.
“I HAVE BEEN MOVED SEEING A PHOTOGRAPH ON DISPLAY OF MY VISIT TO THE REGIMENT WHEN I WAS A CHILD”
During his childhood years, President Tatar had visited the regiment to take part in a ceremony along with his grandparents, Cemal Müftüzade – who was then undersecretary of Dr. Fazıl Küçük, and his grandmother, Vildan Müftüzade. The visit was photographed and put on display in the regimental museum. President Tatar said he is “moved” seeing the photograph – showing him visiting the regiment as a child. He said he is now visiting the regiment as the fifth President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. “This is a very meaningful photograph,” President Tatar said. “I was born into the national struggle of the Turkish Cypriot people, and lived through all of the incidents, events and atrocities.”
Stating that growing up “with these events” and the family upbringing “have reflected in my character and identity” the President said: “I know the Cyprus issue well, and my objective is to compassionately serve the country and the nation as the President.”
MAJOR GENERAL SEZAİ ÖZTÜRK
In his speech, the Cyprus Turkish Peace Forces Major General Sezai Öztürk expressed the honor of receiving President Tatar and emphasised that the Turkish Armed Forces are the guarantee of peace in Cyprus.
"We will never allow a fait accompli in Cyprus,” Major General Öztürk said. “We will not allow anybody to usurp our rights. We support good neighborly relations on the island, and we will continue to struggle together in solidarity with the Turkish Cypriot people.”
President Tatar said that “with the support of Turkey at every level, Turkish Cypriot people succeeded in their resistance” adding: “The Turkish Cypriots, who are co-founding partners of the Republic of Cyprus through the Treaties of 1960, watched with great joy the return of the Turkish army to Cyprus who had left Cyprus back in 1878.”
Referring to the words of Şeherli Mehmet, the Grand Father of the Founding President, Rauf Denktaş, who, whilst watching the departing Turkish army from Cyprus in 1878 said ‘they will most definitely return one day’, President Tatar said: “And after 82 years, in accordance with the 1960 treaties, the Turkish army once again set foot in Cyprus which gave way to great joy for the Turkish Cypriot people. The Turkish army, who set foot in Cyprus after an absence of 82 years, will never leave again.”
President Tatar stated that after the Cyprus Turkish Peace Forces Regiment was deployed on the island with the rights emanating from the 1960 treaties, “our valuable commanders are fulfilling important duties which have been continuing to this day,” he said.
“When the past is also considered, the Cyprus issue is fundamentally a national issue, as well as being a sovereign issue. All of our efforts are for our existing sovereignty to be accepted by the world,” the President said.
“PEOPLE WHO DO NOT KNOW THEIR PAST AND HISTORY, CANNOT PLAN THE FUTURE”
President Tatar stated that Britain transferred sovereignty of the island to two peoples with the 1960 Treaties which were signed by the former Turkish Cypriot leader, Dr. Fazıl Küçük, saying that he wanted to reiterate the importance of “Turkish Cypriot people knowing our past and history; remembering and paying tribute to our martyrs; and learning from the past . . .those who do not know their past and history, cannot plan the future,” he said.
President Tatar also visited the museum located in the regiment, which shows the national struggle of the Turkish Cypriot people to survive on the island in the face of atrocities committed against them by the Greek Cypriot forces as from 1963 until 1974. President Tatar thanked the past and present commanders for their service in the TRNC.
“I HAVE BEEN MOVED SEEING A PHOTOGRAPH ON DISPLAY OF MY VISIT TO THE REGIMENT WHEN I WAS A CHILD”
During his childhood years, President Tatar had visited the regiment to take part in a ceremony along with his grandparents, Cemal Müftüzade – who was then undersecretary of Dr. Fazıl Küçük, and his grandmother, Vildan Müftüzade. The visit was photographed and put on display in the regimental museum. President Tatar said he is “moved” seeing the photograph – showing him visiting the regiment as a child. He said he is now visiting the regiment as the fifth President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. “This is a very meaningful photograph,” President Tatar said. “I was born into the national struggle of the Turkish Cypriot people, and lived through all of the incidents, events and atrocities.”
Stating that growing up “with these events” and the family upbringing “have reflected in my character and identity” the President said: “I know the Cyprus issue well, and my objective is to compassionately serve the country and the nation as the President.”
MAJOR GENERAL SEZAİ ÖZTÜRK
In his speech, the Cyprus Turkish Peace Forces Major General Sezai Öztürk expressed the honor of receiving President Tatar and emphasised that the Turkish Armed Forces are the guarantee of peace in Cyprus.
"We will never allow a fait accompli in Cyprus,” Major General Öztürk said. “We will not allow anybody to usurp our rights. We support good neighborly relations on the island, and we will continue to struggle together in solidarity with the Turkish Cypriot people.”