Prime Minister Ünal Üstel commented on the recent statements made by the Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides.

“We continue to watch in amazement as the Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides, for the past few days, makes efforts to shape public opinion that ignore the Turkish Cypriots and are inconsistent with the facts regarding the Cyprus issue” Üstel said.

“Christodoulides’ statement, using Guterres’ name and claiming ‘an invitation for a trilateral meeting from the UN on August 13th,’ can be cited as a concrete example of these perception operations” he added.

“We find our President Mr. Ersin Tatar’s response to the Greek Cypriot leader’s statements, saying ‘there is no meeting invitation’ and ‘there is no basis for a meeting under the current conditions,’ to be extremely appropriate and justified” the Premier stressed.

“It should not be forgotten that the initiation of a negotiation process in Cyprus requires the approval of both parties, not just one party’s arbitrary decision. At the same time, we have repeatedly made it clear that an agreement in Cyprus cannot be reached without recognizing the sovereign equality of the Turkish Cypriot people” Üstel noted.

“On the other hand, since 2020, the Vision for a Solution to the Cyprus Problem, pursued by our President with our support, has also been adopted as Türkiye’s National Cyprus Solution Vision through a resolution accepted not only by Turkish government but also by its parliament” he said.

“In this situation, instead of accusing the Greek Cypriot leader of manipulation, we find it difficult to understand the domestic opposition that sees these manipulations as an opportunity to criticize our President” Üstel added.

“We want it to be known that our government, as in the past, today stands behind the two-state solution vision of our President Ersin Tatar and Türkiye’s National Vision, which includes the recognition of our sovereign equality and international equal status, in finding a solution to the Cyprus issue” the Premier stressed.

“If Christodoulides thinks he will achieve anything by creating a false perception, he is mistaken. If the Greek Cypriot leader truly wants a lasting and viable agreement in Cyprus, he needs to act in accordance with the realities of the island and respond positively to the demands put forth by the Turkish side to pave the way for the negotiation process” Prime Minister Üstel added.