It’s been 19 years since the referendum on the UN-sponsored Annan Plan.

In a statement issued on the anniversary, President Ersin Tatar called on the international community to honour its promises to the Turkish Cypriot people.

He also said that there was no going back from the current policy in favour of a two-state solution.

“We shall continue our path with determination and decisiveness.

President Ersin Tatar on Sunday called on the US, the United Nations, the European Union as well as other members of the international community to fulfil their promises to the Turkish Cypriot people in the period leading to the referendum on the Annan Plan.

The international community’s promises included the easing of embargoes and an end to international isolation in return to voting in favour of the UN sponsored plan.

“While the promises have yet to be kept 19 years later, we shall continue to remind the international community of its failure to do so. My call to the UN, the EU and the US; is stop supporting the Greek-Greek Cypriot duo who are responsible for the failure of all past and present negotiation processes and keep the promises you made to the Turkish Cypriot people,” said Tatar.

The president said that while the Annan Plan was now a relic of the past and shelved indefinitely, there was no going back from the Turkish Cypriot side’s current ‘national’ vision for a two-state solution.

“It’s been 19 years since the Annan Plan prepared by the UN was put to a vote on both sides in simultaneously held referenda. We were told that any of the sides that voted in favour of the plan would be rewarded while the side that voted against the plan would be punished. The final outcome was just the opposite, the Greek Cypriots, who overwhelmingly rejected the plan, were rewarded with EU membership whilst the Turkish Cypriots, who overwhelmingly supported the plan were punished. Not a single promise has been kept. Turkish Cypriots continue to be subjected to inhumane and unjust embargoes,” he said.

The president in his statement said that developments following the Annan Plan referendum showed the plan’s supporters the true face of those who made those empty promises.

He added that it was no longer possible to reach a federal settlement in Cyprus which would not only scrap Türkiye’s guarantees but would also reduce Turkish Cypriots into a minority.

“We find it extremely valuable to remind the international community on this occasion once again of its failure to keep its promises,” Tatar said.

The president concluded by reminding that it was his duty to protect the Turkish Cypriot people from political games, empty words and promises.