FM LASHES OUT AT GREEK CYPRIOT SIDE
TC Foreign Minister Huseyin Ozgurgun has said that recent initiatives launched by the Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianu during a recent visit to Syria, once again demonstrated the Greek Cypriot Administration’s intolerance and hostile attitude towards the Turkish Cypriot people.
The Foreign Minister pointed out that such attempts to further isolate the Turkish Cypriot people only served to damage efforts to build confidence between the two sides in Cyprus.
In a statement issued, the TRNC Foreign Minister pointed out that that the Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister Marcos Kyrprianu had launched an initiative with Syrian authorities to stop ferry services between Gazimagusa(Famagusta) and Latakia.(Lazkiye)
The Foreign Minister stressed that Kyprianu’s efforts were clear proof that the Greek Cypriot Administration had no intention of ending its policies aimed at preventing Turkish Cypriots from establishing relations with third countries.
He also said such attempts carried out at a time when the two leaders were conducting negotiations aimed at settling the Cyprus Problem and building confidence between the two sides showed that the Greek Cypriot Side had no intention of solving the Cyprus Problem or creating a new partnership state.
“The failure of the Greek Cypriot Side to take a single step towards easing the international isolation of the Turkish Cypriot people demonstrates its intolerance towards Turkish Cypriots” he added.
Ozgurgun also pointed out that such attempts carried out while full-fledged talks were still continuing, not only damaged efforts to build confidence between the two sides but also served to heighten tensions on the island.
“The Greek Cypriot Administration should know that the Turkish Cypriot people not only have other alternatives but will not remain silent in the face of such disappointing and ill intended initiatives”, Ozgurgun said.