Cyprus-Forum.com

[halil]

Unofficial translation of President Mehmet Ali Talat’s speech during the 15 November celebrations
Happy 25th Anniversary of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to us all.

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, as the expression of the political existence of the Turkish Cypriot people, has left behind 25 years.

A quarter of a century has gone by since the establishment of our Republic, which seems so recent.

To be a quarter of a century-old for a person, means to have left childhood, early youth, and adolescence far behind. That period, for those, who have left it far behind, has gone by in the twinkling of an eye. But for the ones, who are living through that period, those days seem like they will never go by. Twenty-five years, which befits almost one thirds of an average lifetime, is actually very short in terms of the establishment of institutionalisation, improvement of democracy and the consolidation of social development. This short period for the society, coincides with a lengthy and difficult youth and early adulthood complete with experiences for me and my peers. The 25 years of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which is the historical outcome of the organisation of life under extraordinary conditions for all Turkish Cypriots, is also an indication that the Republic is now stepping from youth to early adulthood. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is nothing but a way of rendering life honorable and making use of the right of self-determination without being dominated by anyone.

In this sense, to remember every moment of the 25-year process, we need to start with the Transitional Administration, move on to the Autonomous Administration, then the Federated State and lastly, to the Republic. Despite all problems and shortcomings, we need to think about what would have happened if Turkish Cypriots had failed to establish these administrative organisations…

Evaluations of the past, of course, are of vital importance for future structuring. In this sense, we need to examine the present day and think about the future. It is our binding duty to defend this land, which has been our homeland since the 16th century, and where our ancestors rest. It is also our binding duty to prepare a secure future for the next generations in this country.

In other words, the existence of Turkish Cypriots has added to the prosperity of the island of Cyprus, which has shared its history with us. We are a people that has made the island of Cyprus its homeland through hard work and blood and that has established and organised a state structure on this land.

As Turkish Cypriots, we have been subject to the inhumane consequences of EOKA’s destruction policy directed at us, which began under the British Administration and mounted in 1950s.

As people who have seen and experienced evil, our most important humane duty should be to leave behind the barricaded years as painful memories, and turn the experiences of those painful memories into a peaceful, safe life in Cyprus with a hopeful and beautiful future.

You all know that the search for solution to the Cyprus problem is continuing with transparent and understandable demands. Although the Turkish Cypriot people is persistent and determined in its search for solution, it is unfairly continuing to pay for the lack of solution. The Turkish Cypriots are being punished for establishing their own state.

At this point, one has to ask: Is the Turkish Cypriot people doomed to be governed without a state? Would it have been easier to solve the Cyprus problem if the Turkish Cypriot people did not have its own administration? Moreover, if the Turkish Cypriot people had not established its own administration, what would have been its position after a solution to the Cyprus problem?

In this 25th anniversary, and especially after the 2004 referenda, the answers to these questions would also shed light on how the Cyprus problem should be solved under the present conditions. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is the outcome of the desire of the Turkish Cypriot people to live forever on this land and the concrete evidence of its patriotism.

A quarter of a century has gone by since the establishment of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. However, as I have tried to highlight earlier, the Turkish Cypriot people have been governing itself as a part of Europe and the world, for the last 450 years...

Here today, we are not only celebrating the establishment of the TRNC, but the anniversary of our tradition of self-governance under new and much more hopeful political developments.

Yes, I would like to repeat, these new developments are the meetings between the two leaders under the auspices of the United Nations and which are aimed at reaching a solution to the Cyprus problem. These meetings have begun due to our determined and persistent approach.

We clearly and definitely know what we want. We are working very hard to reach a peace agreement that would safeguard our rights as a people with European values that has self-governance and that is the equal and sovereign partner in Cyprus in every sense.

We have the skill, boldness and diplomatic power to force Greek Cypriot Leader Christofias to reach solution despite the burden of the “Ohi” front on his shoulders.

We are hopeful for solution and peace because we are aware of our own strength.

As the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was being declared on 15 November 1983, the Assembly of the Federated State of the time, envisaged this entity as the Turkish Cypriot leg of the bi-communal, bi-zonal Federal Cyprus Republic to be established in the future. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was established not to consolidate separation but, on the contrary, to prepare for a federal republic as desired by the United Nations, the European Union and the international community. Contrary to the incorrect propaganda by the Greek Cypriot side, we declared our desire to live in peace with the Greek Cypriots to the world as the TRNC was being declared. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is committed to the establishment principles approved by our assembly on 15 November 1983 and the political meaning approved by our people. As the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was being established under the framework of a federal republic, it would serve as the basic institutional structure for the self-governance of the Turkish Cypriot people.

Directly relating the establishment of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to Turkey’s military intervention in 1974 would be a great injustice to the existence of the Turkish Cypriot people. The TRNC is not a so-called administrative mechanism established through the external intervention of the Turkish army and against the will of the Turkish Cypriot people. You have to understand the long-range historic developments that led to the establishment of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the centuries-old social and administrative traditions of the Turkish Cypriots.

Also, the social-psychology of the Turkish Cypriot people in embracing its own state, its own administrative mechanism, should be seen correctly. The Turkish Cypriot people, by establishing and developing the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, has shown the world that it is a people that has a voice, that governs itself and not the local or secondary extension of an external authority.

As we intensively continue with negotiations aimed at a just and permanent solution, I am realising how important it is for the Greek Cypriot side to better understand our history, culture, social structure and psychology.

The first thing the Greek Cypriot side should know is this: Turkish Cypriots are a potent people that had its own administrative mechanisms throughout history, even during the British Colonial Rule and the days of Intercommunal Strife. We governed ourselves right from the beginning of history and have become a sovereign, equal and active political entity. The sine qua non rights that we put forward in these negotiations, which constitute a last chance, are the basic rights we have possessed and made use of for centuries. It is not logical to expect the Turkish Cypriot people, that has not forsaken these rights even on during the worst times, to accept proposals now on the negotiations table that would put it in a secondary state. It is nonsense, to be clear and ignorance regarding the history of the Turkish Cypriot people.

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is founded on the 450-year-old tradition of Turkish Cypriot people to govern itself and have its own legal and administrative institutions. Anyone, who objectively studies the historic administrative mechanisms of Turkish Cypriots, would realise that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was not established through an external intervention, but is based on the centuries-old Ottoman-Turkish administrative traditions, basic social structuring and historical institutions. If the current Greek Cypriot Administration, which has come forward with a pro-peace identity, is sincere in its desire to solve the Cyprus problem, it has to leave aside maneuvers aimed at keeping its former allies, such as the rejectionist front and the Church happy. You cannot both keep the extreme nationalist “Ohi” front happy and extend your hand to Turkish Cypriots in peace! This is not possible.

Yes, we are a strong, determined, able and active people. We are a people of Europe, of the world. We are a people that has governed itself for 450 years, and that has made Cyprus its homeland at least as much as other Cypriot communities have. We are not asking for equality and sovereignty from anyone. We already have these. We take our strength and our right to govern ourselves through a democratic approach from our own history. Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is our common home. We are all in the same house. We did not build this house in one day from scratch. We inherited the earth, the foundations, the raw materials from our ancestors. And we have built upon these. It has taken a lot of effort and time, but we made it.

The efforts and work of hundreds of years are present in the materials of this house.

Turkish Cypriots are the ones, who need to internalise this fact more than anyone else. The Turkish Cypriot people itself, must embrace its right of self-governance, and create a modern, democratic, lawful, functional administrative system because this house belongs to us all.

We have to turn our state mechanism into an institutionalised, transparent, civilian legal and administrative order. We have to replace dysfunctionality with functionality. This is why we adopted the contemporary state approach. This is why we are trying to implement the modern technological innovations. We have to establish the superiority of laws and a relationship network between the different institutions of the state as envisaged by the constitution.

The state should represent and embrace not just this or that person, this or that political group or approach, but all Turkish Cypriots without any exceptions. It should be able to meet the needs of the people. Exactly like a house designed to facilitate the lives of its inhabitants, the rooms should be connected, the house should be sturdy, comfortable and functional because the state exists to serve its citizens. And serving citizens cannot be limited to minimal needs, bureaucratic processes, security or paying civil servants’ salaries. Social services, educational and cultural expansions that are based on equal opportunity, planned development, economic prosperity, enabling the citizens to take advantage of the rights and freedoms granted to them by law, and eventually, harmonisation with the norms of the European Union are among our primary duties.

Sooner or later, a partnership state based on the political equality of the two peoples, bi-zonality and two Constituent States will be established and Cyprus will become the common home of all the people on this island. And sooner or later, Turkish Cypriots will take their place in the European Union. Today, our duty is to prepare the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus with all its institutions for this inevitable future. In this way, we will have also enhanced the right of self-governance that the future generations inherit from our ancestors.

To this end, the Republic of Turkey, with its President, Parliament, Government, Armed Forces and all institutions, continue to be with us. We thank them for their unconditional support.

I bow in front of our sacred martyrs and convey our gratefulness to our veterans.

I salute you all with the faith that, for our children and our future, we will create a European country of peace, prosperity and brotherhood. With the will to establish a more democratic, modern and united house, I celebrate the Republic’s anniversary.

Presidential Press Office.

[DT.]

Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is our common home. We are all in the same house. We did not build this house in one day from scratch. We inherited the earth, the foundations, the raw materials from our ancestors. And we have built upon these. It has taken a lot of effort and time, but we made it

Unless the TC ancestors are Kostis and Pavlis Hadjipavlou then I'm guessing talat forgot who's land his "republic" is built on and who's raw materials he's using. Oh and if selling off GC property to Israelis and the English is considered

And we have built upon these

then good old talat has been sharing denktash's speechwriter.

I see its another speech full of empathy to the GC's.

[Kikapu]

That was a great Partition speech by Talat, wouldn't you say so, Bananiot.?

If the trnc was the destined outcome of the TC ancestors in Cyprus and now it should belongs in Europe and the world as a self governing and sovereign country, I'm just wondering how long it would last if the Turkish Military was not there any longer to make sure that the "house" continues to sit on it's "own foundations" since the "house" was not the result of the Turkish invasion, as claimed by Talat.

Talat either believes everything someone gives him to read, or that he is just trying to buy time to get through the next elections in the north by making such Nationalistic and Patriotic speech by letting his fantasies run away from the realities on the ground.

I bet Talat really enjoyed the rousing applause's he must have received for this speech.!

Who wouldn't.!