TURKISH Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat used his speech marking the 26th anniversary of the breakaway ‘Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’ (TRNC) on Sunday to call on Greek Cypriots to join Turkish Cypriots in efforts to reunite the island.
“The Turkish Cypriot people are ready to share this beautiful island with you. Come and contribute to peace efforts.
“Don’t prevent this island becoming one of friendship and unity,” he said during a rally attended by politicians and military personnel from north Cyprus and Turkey in Nicosia.
Talat also sought to impress on Greek Cypriots the connection Turkish Cypriots have with the island and dispel the notion that Turkish Cypriots were less a part of Cypriot history than their Greek Cypriot counterparts.
“There are those who through their racist and chauvinistic statements deny our rights as part owners of Cyprus. Because of this I have to remind them that Cyprus is our homeland upon which our blood and our sweat has been spilled,” Talat said.
While many will have seen Sunday’s anniversary of the formation of the ‘TRNC’ as an abomination, Talat sought to convince those in the south that the breakaway state’s formation in 1983 did not preclude reunification.
“Even if the formation of the TRNC was seen internationally as an obstacle to a solution [of the Cyprus problem], efforts by the Turkish side, and ultimately the 2004 referendum, changed this perception,” Talat said.
But while calling for the stepping up of reunification efforts, Talat also called on Greek Cypriots and the international community to respect the Turkish Cypriots’ right to self-determination.
“I want to call on the world and the Greek Cypriots in particular to respect the rights, after 450 years [on the island], of Turkish Cypriots to govern themselves.”
Also speaking at the anniversary rally was Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek, who said that if Turkey had to choose between EU membership and “remaining by the side of the Turkish Cypriots”, it would always choose the Turkish Cypriots.
i think we all knew the postinion of turkey but what happens when its official when turkey refuses to change its two state stance in cyprus and they lose eu and are sitting occupying eu land and they have no chance of eu?
