Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu shared his diplomatic criticisms with the public regarding the statements made by the British High Commissioner to South Cyprus, İrfan Siddiq during a meeting he held with members of the British community residing in the TRNC.
“It is unacceptable for an ambassador of a country to question the Treaty of Guarantees. We will not abandon this treaty for the security of the Turkish Cypriot people,” Ertuğruloğlu stressed.
In a written statement issued on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu slammed the British High Commissioner to South Cyprus İrfan Siddiq for his remarks during his meeting with members of the British community residing in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) at the Olive Tree Hotel in Çatalköy on June 27.
He said that it was unacceptable for an ambassador of a country, which has been the main instigator of many unresolved conflicts that have cost lives around the world, to question the Treaty of Guarantees.
“It is clear that the representative of a country that has military bases located thousands of kilometres away on an island and conducts operations from these bases for its own interests supports the position of the Greek Cypriot administration in order to maintain the status of these bases. The mentioned ambassador disregards diplomatic courtesy by acting as the spokesperson for the Greek Cypriot side,” Ertuğruloğlu said.
He said that he did not believe that the UK which had remained silent during the Greek Cypriot persecution of Turkish Cypriots between 1963 and 1974, and the 1974 Greek coup, had the right to question the guarantees.
Ertuğruloğlu added that the Treaty of Guarantees was paramount for the security of the Turkish Cypriot people which was why it could not be abandoned.
“The same ambassador also claims the ‘Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is not recognized.’ First and foremost, regardless of recognition, a state exists and has the right to maintain its integrity and independence, enact laws, and governs itself as it sees fit,” the foreign minister stressed.
Noting that the talks carried out over the last 50 years to reach a federal solution had ended without success due to the rejectionist stance of the Greek Cypriot side, Ertuğruloğlu said, “These talks are closed for good. The recognition of the TRNC has become the main goal of the Cyprus policy for both the TRNC and the Republic of Türkiye.”
Pointing out that Siddiq was trying to hinder this policy, Foreign Minister Ertuğruloğlu said, “Siddiq’s view that the sovereignty owned by the Turkish Cypriot people can be exercised under the umbrella of a ‘unified federal state’ is not a view to be taken into account. The Turkish Cypriot people know how to exercise their sovereignty; there is no need for someone else to tell us or dictate to us how to do so.”
He also added that the British High Commissioner should be careful not to interfere with the free will of the Turkish Cypriot people by imposing the federation thesis.
Ertuğruloğlu reminded that British officials themselves had admitted that the talks in Crans Montana for a federal settlement were the last attempt of its kind.
He called the British High Commissioner naive for trying to rehash the same empty rhetoric.
“It is clear that Siddiq has also misunderstood the Turkish Cypriot side’s proposal for a two-state solution. Our solution proposal essentially aims to accept not only the model we have put forward but also the existing reality on the island and this reality will be accepted sooner or later,” Ertuğruloğlu stressed.
He also accused Siddiq into coercing Turkish Cypriots to abandon their fight to defend their rights and accept a federal settlement model.
Pointing out that there were many countries recognised by the UN with much smaller populations than the TRNC, Foreign Minister Ertuğruloğlu said, “Therefore, I see Siddiq’s argument that a ‘United Cyprus’ would make it stronger as a very simplistic argument. His claim that the possibility of EU membership will disappear if chances of a united Cyprus disappear is a detachment from reality.”
He added that first and foremost, there was no such possibility for a ‘United Cyprus.’, which past negotiations processes proved.
“For the Turkish Cypriot people to be included in the EU, before Türkiye’s membership is realized and while Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration are EU members, would mean assimilation. The statements of a representative of a country that loudly separated itself from EU membership are ironic,” Ertruğruloğlu said.