President Ersin Tatar has reiterated that the Turkish Cypriot side was pursuing a new policy in collaboration with motherland Türkiye, stressing that the sovereignty of Turkish Cypriots on the island and Türkiye’s rights as a guarantor power cannot be ignored.

“If we have peace on the island it is thanks to Türkiye. If there is to be any agreement, the Republic of Türkiye cannot be excluded; otherwise, it would mark the beginning of the end for the Turkish Cypriots,” Tatar said.

The president on Friday welcomed the Turkish Minister of Defense Yaşar Güler and the Chief of the General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces General Metin Gürak, Admiral Ercüment Tatlıoğlu, General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu, and General Ziya Cemal Kadıoğlu who are in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) for contacts.

The Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler, General Metin Gürak and their entourage was greeted at Ercan Airport on Friday by Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu.

Shortly after their arrival, Güler and his delegation visited the graves of Dr. Fazıl Küçük at Anıttepe and the tomb of the Founding President Rauf Raif Denktaş.

Güler and the accompanying generals were first received by President Ersin Tatar.

Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu and the Turkish Ambassador to Lefkoşa Metin Feyzioğlu, were also present at the meeting.

Expressing his happiness from visiting the TRNC, the Turkish Minister of Defense Yaşar Güler conveyed from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

President Ersin Tatar for his part welcomed Güler and the Command echelon of the Turkish Armed Forces in the TRNC, expressing his gratitude to the Turkish Armed Forces.

He recalled that Türkiye had successfully thwarted two attempts by Greek Cypriots and Greece, the first on December 21, 1963, and the second on July 15, 1974, to transform Cyprus into a Greek island.

“And finally with the Turkish Peace Operation on July 1974, the Turkish Armed Forces brought a lasting peace to the island. If we enjoy security, freedom and peace today it is because we owe it to the Turkish forces. Let it not be forgotten, any settlement in Cyprus must include Türkiye. Any other model would spell the end of Turkish Cypriots,” he said.

Tatar also added that a joint policy was being pursued on the Cyprus problem and that neither the sovereignty of the Turkish Cypriots or Türkiye’s guarantees could be ignored.