The Greek Cypriot administration’s unilateral stance, ignoring the presence of Turkish Cypriots, is the sole obstacle toward finding a solution to the Cyprus question, Defense Minister Yaşar Güler said Thursday.
Speaking at the armed forces day of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) in the capital, Ankara, Güler pointed out that the events in Cyprus are not only military and security-related but also political, diplomatic and demographic issues that need to be addressed in detail.
Türkiye has for years followed a sensible, sustainable policy that guarantees the rights of both communities to reach a peaceful solution, the minister added.
"However, despite our positive approach to international solution proposals each time, unfortunately, we did not reap the rewards. "Both our interlocutors and third parties must understand that the outdated rhetoric that has been put forward for years and is disconnected from the facts on the ground does not contribute to the solution efforts,” Güler underlined.
He said that the two-state solution is not only championed by Türkiye but also by objective analysts.
“In this context, we continue our efforts to increase the recognition of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and to make it a member of international organizations,” he said.
The ambassadors of Azerbaijan, Gambia and the representative of Taiwan attended the reception, as did high-ranking military officials and press members.
The island of Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Türkiye, as a guarantor power, prompted by a coup aimed at Greece’s annexation of the island, launched a military intervention dubbed the Cyprus Peace Operation to protect Turkish Cypriots from persecution and violence.
As a result, the TRNC was founded on Nov. 15, 1983.
The island has seen an on-and-off peace process in recent years, including a failed 2017 initiative in Switzerland under the auspices of guarantor countries Türkiye, Greece and the U.K.
The Greek Cypriot administration was admitted to the European Union in 2004, the same year they thwarted a U.N. plan to end the longstanding dispute, but only the Greek Cypriot south enjoys its full benefits.
Efforts to reunify the island have been at a standstill since the last round of U.N.-backed talks collapsed in 2017.
