Terrorist organisation EOKA commenced armed attacks on Turkish Cypriots on April 1, 1955 under the aspiration to annex Cyprus to Greece (ENOSIS),   which had in fact started a period that turned Cyprus into a bloodbath, destroyed peace and security, of which the effects are continuing today. 



Organised and supported by the Greek Cypriot leadership, Greek Orthodox Church and Greece, the main objective of EOKA was ENOSIS and  in declarations issued by EOKA, it stated:

“Our goal is first to expel the British and then the Turkish Cypriots, who are an extension of the Turkish nation, from the island and to realise Enosis. Unless fire and water, heaven and hell come together, it is not possible for the Hellenes of Cyprus to come together with the Turkish Cypriots."

In line with this predetermined objective, when terrorist organisation EOKA started their armed attacks on April 1, 1955, the British were targeted first, followed by attacks against the Turkish Cypriots. During the period of 1955-1958, whilst Turkish Cypriot villages, mosques, sacred and religious places were attacked by EOKA, hundreds of our citizens were also massacred. The main reason for the establishment of the Turkish Resistance Organisation (TMT) was to protect the Turkish Cypriot people against these attacks.


The TMT was formed with the purpose of serving as a defence organisation, and following this resistance, the Republic of Cyprus was formed with Turkish Cypriots being equal founding partners.  Unfortunately, the life of the republic was rather short.   Bloody Christmas attacks were launched in December 1963 by Greek Cypriots -- in line with the Akritas Plan which was drawn up by EOKA leaders. The objective was again to annex Cyprus to Greece.



During the period of 1963-1974, Turkish Cypriots were subjected to systematic and regular attacks and abductions. Hundreds of our villages were attacked, thousands of our people were forced to migrate, and hundreds of our people were massacred. These have been openly documented for the attacks on Kumsal,  Ayvasil, Paphos, Limassol, Arpalik, Gaziveren and other places. Those responsible for these massacres and savagery are the Greek Cypriot leadership and Greece, which founded and supported the EOKA terrorist organisation.


The aim of the coup, carried out by the Greek Junta on July 15, 1974, was to annihilate the Turkish Cypriot people and unite the island with Greece.  If our Motherland Turkey had not carried out the Peace Operation, there would have been a disastrous repetition of the catastrophe lived in Crete, and not even one Turkish Cypriot would have been left alive on the island.  The massacres of Turkish Cypriot in the villages of Taşkent, Muratağa, Sandallar and Atlılar and many other places are evidence of this.


Today, we are living in peace and security in our own homeland, our own State, under the protection of motherland Turkey and the Turkish army. However, the aspirations of the Greek Cypriots – through the employment of different forms and methods -- are the same today as it was then.   Greek Cypriot attacks are still continuing, as are the isolations, embargoes, activities to destroy our economy, to destroy our State and demands are being made for the abolishment of Turkey’s active and effective guarantees and removal of the Turkish army. All of these are serving the same objectives of the Greek Cypriot side.

As in the past, we are resisting all of these, and we will continue to our struggle. Whatever the cost is, we will never give up our state, our liberty, our sovereignty, Turkey's guarantees and the Turkish military presence in Cyprus.


We will not allow a return of our people to the dark and brutal days that prevailed prior to 1974. We will not leave our people at the mercy of the Greek Cypriot leadership and the Greek Cypriot terrorist organisations.



In the meantime, we are continuing to prepare for the five-plus-UN informal meeting to be held in Geneva, Switzerland, on April 27-29, where we intend to bring to the negotiating table a new vision of two equal sovereign States coexisting side-by-side, a vision which is fully supported by the biggest and most powerful country in the region, Turkey, our motherland. Our vision has also generated a lot of international interest.  There will be no stepping back from this policy.

The declaration of Turkey’s National Security Council that “the issue of a comprehensive and stable solution on the basis of two independent States cannot be renounced,” has given us strength.  Therefore, I would like to thank President Recep Tayyip Erdogan once again on behalf of myself and the Turkish Cypriot people.

I condemn the EOKA terrorist organisation and all terrorist organisations set on motherland Turkey. I wish God’s mercy on the martyrs who died for this homeland.  May they all rest in peace.  I salute our veterans.