Statement from Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu on the letter sent by the Greek Cypriot Minister of Foreign Affairs Kasulidis to the Greek Cypriot Ambassadors:
“There is no value in whether our foreign policy and the decisions regarding our country are accepted by the Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus”
It was reported in the Greek Cypriot press that the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus (Greek Cypriot Administration), Yannis Kasulidis, sent a letter to the Ambassadors residing in the Greek Cypriot part.
Kasulidis’ letter reaffirmed that the Greek Cypriot side has no other purpose than to prevent the efforts of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and Turkey to take the rightful place of our State in the international community and to ensure the continuation of the inhumane isolation applied to the Turkish Cypriot people with its own encouragement.
The Cyprus issue is a case of rights and law for the Turkish side. With this understanding, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the Republic of Turkey have determined a new policy in accordance with the realities on the Island.
Kasulidis also states that they will not accept a possible agreement between the United Nations (UN) and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Whether the decisions regarding our foreign policy and our country are accepted by the Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus or not is of no value.
The presence and activities of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force (UNFICYP) on our territory will be possible with the conclusion of a legal arrangement that can be accepted between the two sides.
The TRNC has repeatedly recorded that the UNFICYP is able to carry out its activities in our country within the framework of the good will of our State, but that there is a need for an agreement on this issue, both in writing and verbally before all relevant UN institutions, especially the UN Secretariat.
The TRNC believes that the UNFICYP cannot carry out its presence and activities in our country with the current arrangement based on our good intentions and that it is imperative to agree on an agreement without wasting time.
We would like to reiterate that we are in an irreversible determination in this regard.
Our Ministry continues to act constructively for an agreement between the TRNC and the UN that can be accepted by both sides. It is important that the UN, unlike ever before, adopts a constructive and fact-taking approach.
If, despite our sincere and constructive attitude, the UN continues to take a disconnected approach from the realities on the Island and therefore it is not possible to reach an agreement, as we have already stated, we will have no choice but to review all options and take the necessary steps.
