Turkish PM Erdogan Says Parties should Exert Efforts for Peace and Solution

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that Turkish Cypriots had always exerted great efforts for peace and solution so far, and now other parties should also exert efforts and take steps for same purposes.

Erdogan, who is currently visiting the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), attended a ceremony held at Dr. Fazil Kucuk Boulevard in Lefkosa on the occasion of TRNC Peace and Freedom Day.

Speaking at the ceremony, Erdogan said that Turkey always worked for prosperity and security and assisted people for peace and justice in the region.

“We exert efforts with TRNC for a fair and lasting solution. Cyprus issue has been on the agenda of the UN for a half century. Turkish Cypriot people and Turkey have great determination for a resolution. 65 percent of Turkish Cypriot people said ‘yes’ to peace and compromise in the referendum held in 2004 in the island. However 75 percent of Greek Cypriots said ‘no’ in the referendum. After the referendum Greek Cypriot administration was awarded while Turkish Cypriot was punished. We cannot accept this situation,” he said.

“Promises saying that isolations imposed on TRNC would be lifted were made to Turkish Cypriot people, but those promises were not kept. Despite unfair attitude against them, Turkish Cypriot people continued to work for peace and solution,” he said. “We fulfilled our responsibilities and are ready to do what is required on this path. We are inviting all other parties to take steps,” he said.

Premier Erdogan said that they expected that a favorable result would be reached in negotiations.

Erdogan said that the fair and comprehensive solution in Cyprus included a Federal Government having a single international identity as well as Turkish Cypriot Founder State and Greek Cypriot Founder State on the basis of political equality.

Erdogan said that if the Greek Cypriot administration became the EU term president in 2012 without a solution to the Cyprus issue, Turkey would freeze its relations with the EU and would not hold any talks with the EU during the administration’s rotating presidency.

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