The 26th Meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), of which the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) is an observer member, started in the capital of Uzbekistan, Tashkent.
Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu, who addressed the meeting, shared the TRNC’s new vision.
Expressing the desire for the official recognition of the TRNC and the confirmation of its vested rights, Ertuğruloğlu said, “Whether the Greek Cypriot side accepts it or not, there is no turning back from this new path we have taken. The Greek Cypriots and the international community have to accept the undeniable reality of Cyprus, which is; that there are two separate sovereign states, two separate democracies, two separate peoples.”
Foreign Minister Ertuğruloğlu, who met with foreign ministers of member countries consisting of Türkiye, Iran, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan on the sidelines of the 26th Meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), taking place in the capital of Uzbekistan, Tashkent, said that the TRNC had hosted numerous successful ECO events in the past and was ready to host more in 2023.
Stating that the preparatory work for this had started, he said that they want to host participants from all member states in the TRNC and that their valuable contributions were expected.
Sharing his views on the TRNC’s new vision shaped by new dynamics both on the island and in the region, Ertuğruloğlu noted that the Cyprus issue had been on the agenda of the international community for nearly 60 years and that the issue had been misdiagnosed.
The foreign minister stressed that the Cyprus issue was a status problem.
Stating that both peoples on the island were sovereign equals and every effort to resolve the issue should take this fact into account, Ertuğruloğlu said, “As geography confirms, Cyprus has two owners, neither of them which have the right to govern each other and the only way forward requires the cooperation of both sides.”
He said that the acceptance of the realities on the ground will certainly enable the much-needed stability, security and cooperation in and around Cyprus and added that this cooperation should be based on the sovereign equality and international equal status of the two peoples and the two states on the island.
Ertuğruloğlu also added that the Turkish Cypriot people want the TRNC to be officially recognized and their vested rights, namely the sovereign equality and equal international status of the state recognized.
“Whether the Greek Cypriot side accepts it or not, there is no turning back from this new path we have taken. Greek Cypriots and the international community have to accept the undeniable reality of Cyprus, which is; there are two separate sovereign states, two separate democracies, two separate peoples” Ertuğruloğlu stressed.
He underlined that the TRNC stood strong with the strong support of motherland Türkiye, and said “I believe we will remove the obstacles to take our rightful place within the international community.”
Reminding that the unjust isolations applied to the Turkish Cypriot people in every aspect of daily life had been brought to the attention of the international community on various platforms on more than one occasion, Ertuğruloğlu said “I sincerely hope that the ECO member states will swiftly take concrete steps to ensure greater contact and communication with our country in all areas to help overcome the inhumane restrictions and embargoes imposed on us by the Greek Cypriot side.”
Meanwhile, Ertuğruloğlu also held separate face-to-face meetings with his Turkish, Azerbaijani and Pakistani counterparts.
Regional issues and development of bilateral relations were discussed during the meeting.