The Türkiye Kamu-Sen Confederation organized a board of presidents consultation meeting under the theme “Respect for Toros, Tribute to Half a Century” to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the July 20 Peace and Freedom Day.
The meeting, held at the Acapulco Resort Hotel in Girne on Thursday, was attended by the Minister of Labour and Social Security Sadık Gardiyanoğlu and President Ersin Tatar.
Addressing the event, the Minister of Labour and Social Security Sadık Gardiyanoğlu highlighted that it was the dream of the late Rauf Raif Denktaş for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) to be recognized as part of the Turkic world and to achieve observer status in the Organization of Turkic States (OTS).
Expressing gratitude to those who made this vision a reality, Gardiyanoğlu also noted that while the TRNC has social security cooperation agreements with Türkiye, similar agreements had not yet been established with other Turkic states.
President Ersin Tatar, in his address, stressed that the policy of a two-state solution for Cyprus was being pursued with the full support of the Republic of Türkiye.
The President warned that a federal agreement would result in the end of Türkiye’s guarantee and military presence in Cyprus, which are not covered under the European Union, thereby excluding Türkiye from the Eastern Mediterranean and endangering the existence of the Turkish Cypriot people.
Reiterating that they desired a fair, lasting, and sustainable agreement in Cyprus, Tatar stressed that they had never shied away from communication and dialogue and were ready to engage in official negotiations, provided that sovereign equality and equal international status are recognized.
Referring to his participation in the 11th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States Council of Heads of State in Kyrgyzstan, Tatar stressed that the Turkish Cypriots were an inseparable and integral part of the Turkic world.
President Tatar also referred to the potential contributions of the Turkish Cypriots to the Turkic world, thanks to their education and experience.
Underlining the need to support the TRNC in order to meet the expectations of workers in the labour sector, he stressed the importance of continuing to collaborate with Türkiye to improve the infrastructure and superstructure of the TRNC.
Highlighting the need to create competitive conditions to foster an investment-friendly environment, Tatar added, “Our goal is to protect our state and to develop the economy so that we can leave a prosperous future for the next generations.”
Stressing that until a final solution is reached in Cyprus, cooperation between the two states on the island was possible, the President noted that both sides generated electricity using fossil fuels and highlighted the potential of bringing electricity to the island through an interconnected system from Türkiye.
Expressing readiness to cooperate on energy resources and to share the water supplied from Türkiye with South Cyprus, Tatar stressed that such collaborations would benefit both sides of the island and positively contribute to Turkish-Greek relations.
