Turkey will protect rights of Turkish Cypriots - Turkish Foreign Minister

Turkey will protect the rights of the TRNC and Turkey, said Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu who also put an end to the debate on Turkey setting up a naval base in Cyprus.

Çavuşoğlu also urged the Greek Cypriot side to abandon notions such as ‘zero troops and zero guarantees’, to stop dreaming and to give up on such dreams.

Speaking in an interview to Turkey’s NTV news channel, on Friday last week, Çavuşoğlu said that Turkey’s desire was for the rights of the Turkish Cypriots to be safeguarded.

He said that this was a legitimate demand and that it was a demand which would not put anyone into a difficult position.

In regards to rumours that Turkey has plans to set up a naval base in Cyprus, Çavuşoğlu said “Turkey has a stance and that is it will always protect the rights of the TRNC and the Turkish Cypriot people. 

Dreams of zero troops and guarantees should be abandoned.  

My intention is not to mock anyone. All I’m saying is that they should see and acknowledge that this is a reality that will not change. And that we should negotiate on this basis”.

BRTK