No: 313, 08 October 2014

The decision taken yesterday (7 October) by the Greek Cypriot Administration not to participate in the meetings within the context of UN negotiation process, which resumed on 11 February 2014, constituted an explicit indication of the insincerity of the Greek Cypriot side towards this last process ongoing since 2008. What is needed in Cyprus is not a new tension but the creation of an environment necessary for a settlement and cooperation.

In the statement released by our Ministry on 4 October 2014, it was stressed once again that the common objective and priority of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side is to reach a just and lasting negotiated settlement to the Cyprus issue, which has been continuing for more than 50 years, based on the inherent constitutive powers of the two peoples, their political equality and co-ownership of the Island. Our objective is to ensure that the UN process, ongoing since 2008 and resumed with the intensive efforts of the Turkish side, is expeditiously concluded and that this last opportunity is not wasted.

However, it is obvious that the Cyprus issue cannot be settled only through the efforts of the Turkish Cypriot side and the guarantor Turkey. The attempts of the Greek Cypriot Administration to unilaterally make use of the natural resources of the Island, motivated by the illusion that it is the sole owner of the Island, and its attitude not to respond to the proposals of the Turkish Cypriot side for a fair sharing of the natural resources shows that it is not ready to the idea of a settlement based on partnership.

Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side desire a negotiated, lasting political settlement on the Island and see this as a requisite of the vision of common prosperity, stability and security in the entire Eastern Mediterranean region. For this, it is essential that the Greek Cypriot side now adopts a clear attitude regarding the new partnership to be established on the basis of the inherent constitutive power and political equality of the two peoples who are co-owners of the Island. Blocking the way of the current efforts for a comprehensive settlement carried out under the auspices of the UN Good Offices Mission will indicate that the Greek Cypriot side does not want a new partnership.

Motherland and guarantor Turkey will respect the preferences of the two peoples of the Island to be determined through their constitutive will; however, it will never allow Turkish Cypriots to become a minority in a Greek Cypriot “state”.

On this occasion, we invite once again the Greek Cypriot Administration to give up their unilateral and provocative actions and to make sincere efforts to reach a settlement within the framework of the UN process. We also expect our neighbor Greece, another guarantor country in Cyprus, to make efforts without further delay to encourage the Greek Cypriot Administration towards settlement. Turkey will continue to give its support to all kinds of approaches based on good faith for reaching a settlement.