President Ersin Tatar paid a visit to the 1st Infantry Regiment Command where he came together with young men currently doing their military service.
Addressing the young troops, the president informed and explained to them the Turkish Cypriot side’s new policy on the Cyprus issue.
Pointing out that the Turkish Cypriot people had just as much a right as Greek Cypriots to be sovereign and to have their own state, Tatar said, “Our sovereignty is still being questioned.
Therefore, our new policy is in the form of two separate, equal and sovereign states.”
He drew attention to the fact that Türkiye has always stood by the Turkish Cypriots.
“With our new policy, we are arguing that this fairy tale of a federal settlement should end once and for all. The game played by the other side is clear. They are thinking, ‘How can we abolish the sovereignty of the Turkish Cypriots?’ They are trying to extend the authority of the Republic of Cyprus to the north,” Tatar said.
He warned that a federal settlement would bring the end of the system of guarantees and result in the departure of Turkish troops from the island.
“We will never allow this. If there is to be an agreement in Cyprus, it will be with the cooperation of two sovereign equal states. There is no going back from this,” Tatar stressed.
The president said that should the two sides agree to cooperate in various areas such as water and energy, this would have great implications for the island’s economy and environment.
President Tatar also referred to the importance of the speech of Turkish President Erdoğan at the 77th General Assembly of the UN and the acceptance of the TRNC as an observer member to the Organization of Turkic States under its constitutional name.
“The continuation of Türkiye’s guarantees is essential for our existence on this island, for peace, tranquillity and security. Türkiye’s guarantees must continue and Turkish forces must remain on the island as a deterrent force,” he said.
Also touching upon the Maraş initiative, the president described the move carried out with the the support of Türkiye as a great success.
“By reopening Maraş for tourism, we gave the following message to the world; ‘A sovereign state can do whatever it wishes.’ We will continue our struggle together with Türkiye,” Tatar added.