Erdogan visit to north Cyprus: Accuses south Cyprus of seeing itself as the sole owner of the island

The Greek Cypriot side sees itself as the sole proprietor of the island and is not up to sharing political power with the Turkish Cypriot side in order to create a partnership based on equality said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during his official visit to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus on Tuesday.

Erdogan was given an official welcome at the Ercan airport by MPs, TRNC officials and businessmen. He was later greeted with an official state ceremony and a 21 gun salute on his arrival in Lefkosa, the capital of North Cyprus.

He visited the Ataturk monument in Lefkosa where he laid a wreath and signed the visitors book.

He then met with TRNC President Mustafa Akıncı at the presidential palace in Lefkosa where they had a one on one meeting.

After the meeting was completed they moved on to an inter delegation meeting made up of TRNC official including Prime Minister Tufan Erhürman, Deputy Prime Minister Foreign Minister Kudret Özersay, Minister for National Education and Culture Cemal Özyiğit and Finance Minister Serdar Denktaş and Turkish officials.

After the meetings were completed TRNC President, Mustafa Akıncı and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a joint press conference.

Speaking first President Mustafa Akıncı said he was very honoured to be able to host the Turkish President in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Noting that a new era and a beginning was taking place in Turkey, Akıncı said ‘first and foremost I hope this new beginning is best for Turkey and I hope that every sector will develop with the changes’.

Akıncı in his speech praised the TRNC’s “sincere relations” with Turkey.

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus places great importance on its cooperation with Turkey. It is clear that Turkish Cypriots – unfairly isolated from the world – need Turkey’s support for the development of our country in every area, he said.

Speaking on the Cyprus reunification talks, Akinci who ruled out “open-ended negotiations” in the Cyprus peace talks, said “From now on, the Turkish Cypriots will not be a part of an open ended negotiation process.”

Touching upon the hydrocarbon resources around the island Akinci called on the Greek Cypriots to adopt a constructive stance on this subject.

He said that up until today the Greek Cypriot side has displayed the opposite reaction to this and created more tensions in the region.

As the TRNC and with the support of Turkey it is not possible for us to give up on our rights in the Eastern Mediterranean said Akıncı.

Noting that the UN Secretary General had sent an official to test the waters in Cyprus Akıncı said that the Turkish Cypriot side had clarified its stance that it would not take part in open ended talks.

Speaking at the press conference, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on his part also voiced his pleasure at visiting the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and reiterated that Turkey has always supported and will continue to support the Turkish Cypriot people.

He also revealed his aims for the TRNC in the near future during his speech.

In the period ahead it is our aim to double the TRNC’s national income per capita by turning it into a centre of attraction in the Eastern Mediterranean said Erdoğan.

Cyprus is our national cause. Our goal is to find a just and lasting solution in Cyprus, he said and added that in the past 50 years all efforts had been exerted so that a solution can be found to the Cyprus problem but that last year the Cyprus conference had been left inconclusive.

The reason for this is that the Greek Cypriot side sees itself as the sole proprietor of the island and it is not up to sharing political power with the Turkish Cypriot side in order to create a partnership based on equality said the Turkish President.

He said that Turkey will never condone Turkish Cypriots becoming victims of a stalemate and added that they will never allow the Turkish Cypriots to become minorities in a Greek Cypriot state.

Pointing to the importance of unity and solidarity Erdoğan said that especially the future of the TRNC depended on this.

He also said that the morale and the motivation to be given to the Turkish Cypriots was also very important and reiterated Turkey’s perpetual support to the Turkish Cypriot people.

Turkey officially switched to a new presidential system of government after Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Monday was sworn in as the Republic of Turkey’s first president under its new government system.

Copied and edited from BRTK