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Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Parliament Speaker Ziya Ozturkler responded to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's recent statements on Cyprus that ignored Turkish Cyprus, saying, "He should not forget that Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity are currently at the point of discussion."
"He should not forget that Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity are currently at the point of discussion, and the motherland Republic of Türkiye has provided the greatest support to Ukraine," he added.
Turkish Cyprus Parliament speaker reminded Zelenskyy of the Greek coup of July 15, 1974, stating: "On July 20, 1974, the Turkish soldier came to the island and brought peace to both Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots. This should be very well known. Zelenskyy should have been reminded of the Greek coup of July 15, 1974."
Ozturkler evaluated the Greek Cypriot Administration's (GCA) unilateral membership in the European Union, its EU Council Presidency term, and the Cyprus issue.
"The most serious mistake was made at the very beginning. The unilateral admission of Greek Cyprus to the European Union was already a mistake at the time. As always, Turkish Cypriots were punished while the Greek Cyprus was rewarded," he added.
Referring to the Annan Plan process, Ozturkler said, "When we look at this, we saw it during the Annan Plan process. One side said 'yes' and one side said 'no,' but the side that was rewarded was Greek Cyprus."
"Greek Cyprus's admission to the European Union, its behavior like a spoiled child of the European Union, its actions as if it is the sole owner of the island, and its approach of always seeing the Turkish Cypriot people as a minority continued," he added.
Ozturkler reacted to the attitudes displayed at the opening ceremonies of the Greek Cypriot Administration's EU Council Presidency.
"Yesterday, they had their openings. They held the opening ceremonies. Here again, we were faced with very unpleasant scenes. Occupier approaches were displayed against our motherland Republic of Türkiye," he noted.
He noted that the visuals used at the ceremonies contained perception operations: "Especially in the materials published there, we saw these. They continue different perception operations by reflecting 1974. But the world knows very well what happened in 1960, in 1963, what they did to the Turkish Cypriot people, and the heroic struggle of the Turkish troops and Turkish Resistance Organisation."
Drawing attention to regional security issues, Ozturkler said: "The armament of the Greek Cypriot Administration, its agreements with Israel, and the military cooperation between Greece, Israel, and Greek Cyprus should be examined very carefully. It should be very well known how important the guarantorship of the motherland Republic of Türkiye and the presence of Turkish soldiers on the island are."
"What the Greek Cypriot Administration should know is this: The counterpart is the Turkish Cypriot people. It must respect the sovereignty and sovereign equality of the Turkish Cypriot people. As long as it sees the Turkish Cypriot people as a minority, no point can be reached," he stated.
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Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Unal Ustel also reacted to the Greek Cypriot Administration's EU Council Presidency.
"The Greek Cypriot Administration, assuming the EU Council Presidency under the title of 'Republic of Cyprus,' ignoring the will of the Turkish Cypriot people and the historical facts experienced in Cyprus, is the most recent manifestation of the injustice and double standard that has been going on for decades in the Cyprus issue," Ustel said.
Ustel pointed to the events of 1963, emphasizing that the Turkish Cypriot people were excluded from state structures.
"In 1963, as a result of the Greek leadership's attempts to unilaterally change the Constitution that formed the basis of the partnership state, and attacks launched against the Turkish Cypriot people by Greek paramilitary elements and armed groups with EOKA backgrounds, Turkish Cypriots were effectively excluded from the institutional structures of the state with their safety eliminated, and their equal founding partnership rights were usurped. This process was the beginning of the Turkish Cypriot people being subjected to severe injustice spanning many years," he said.
Turkish Cypriot prime minister also addressed the 2004 Annan Plan process, stating that the will of the Turkish Cypriot people was left unrequited.
"In 2004, despite the Turkish Cypriot people clearly saying 'yes' to the Annan Plan, the Greek side's 'no' vote was rewarded. While the Greek Cypriot Administration was made a member of the European Union, the Turkish Cypriot people were punished with embargoes and isolations," he noted.
"The European Union has not fulfilled any of its promises to the Turkish Cypriot people," Ustel said.
"The sovereign equality, equal international status, and security of the Turkish Cypriot people cannot be a matter of discussion. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus will continue on its path with determination, in full solidarity with the motherland Türkiye," he added.
"The right of the Turkish Cypriot people to exist with their state, their will, and their dignity can never be ignored," Ustel concluded.
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