Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu has said that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’ participation in a meeting of the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS) for the first time with its official title and flag as an observer member was an important milestone in the recognition process of the country.
Ertuğruloğlu, who attended the 78th United Nations General Assembly meetings with President Ersin Tatar, spoke at an evaluation meeting in Washington D.C.
Speaking in Washington D.C, Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu said that the TRNC’s observer membership in the Organisation of Turkic States was an important development.
He said that the they were expecting new and important steps to be taken in favour of the TRNC both at the OTS and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
“I can say that the recognition process of the TRNC has started,” he added.
Aware of the challenging process ahead and emphasizing that they did not have any unrealistic expectations, Ertuğruloğlu said, “As you know, for the first time, we have our official name and flag as an observer member in the OTS, which is very meaningful and important.”
Ertuğruloğlu highlighted that relations are improving day by day and continued: “We foresee that not only Azerbaijan but other countries will come to the point of recognizing the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. President Erdoğan’s speeches at the United Nations General Assembly last year and this year, openly making this call to the international community on such a platform at the General Assembly, demanding the recognition of the TRNC, and proposing the establishment of commercial, economic, and political relations with us are extremely significant and important.”
Also commenting on the Pile-Yiğitler Road, Ertuğruloğlu said that the road was a humanitarian project and that the work will be completed.
Referring to the incidents that occurred during the construction of the road, the foreign minister said that he explained the issue to the head of the UN mission in Cyprus a month or two ago.
“UN soldiers have no right to confront us in the field. They don’t have such authority. We suggested building a road just to facilitate travel between the TRNC and Pile to address the problems being faced by the village’s Turkish Cypriot residents. The UN opposed us. They tried to block our way with concrete blocks, vehicles, and wires and our workers there reacted to their efforts,” he said.
Ertuğruloğlu stated that starting from Yiğitler, they will be renewing the road all the way up to the area the UN classifies as the buffer zone, setting up a crossing point at the entrance of the road.
He also accused the EU and the Greek Cypriot side of acting dishonestly regarding the status of that region.
“In fact, all the events in Pile have shown us that an agreement should be reached between the TRNC and the UN. UN peacekeepers have been able to operate in the TRNC to this date as a result of the tolerance and hospitality of the Turkish side.”
Also touching upon the UN Security Council’s stance towards Turkish Cypriots, Ertuğruloğlu criticized the UN Security Council’s failure to engage with the Turkish Cypriot side since the beginning of the Cyprus problem in 1963.
“When I say ‘Security Council,’ I mean the 5 permanent members. This structure created the Cyprus problem. It is still keeping the Cyprus problem on the world agenda. Therefore, President Erdoğan’s statement ‘the world is bigger than 5’ is very meaningful, and the world is starting to understand this more and more,” he added.
Ertuğruloğlu said that the Greek Cypriot side is being “spoiled” because the world recognizes them as the so-called Republic of Cyprus and allows them to have a seat as a member state in the UN General Assembly.
He assessed that as long as the Greek Cypriots enjoy these advantages, it is not possible for the Greek Cypriot side to enter into any new partnership based on equality with Turkish Cypriots.
Eruğruloğlu also attended meetings organised by the Atlantic Council and Hudson Insitute Think Tank where he briefed participants on the Turkish Cypriot side’s vision for a two-state solution.