(WNAM Report): President Ersin Tatar has addressed in the “Conference on Energy Investments and Cooperation in Kyrgyzstan” organised by the Union of Engineers and Architects of the Turkic World in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
The President, who expressed his pleasure in being in the company of “distinguished representatives from the Turkic World, stressed that the Turkish Cypriot People form an integral part of the Turkic World, and stated that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus has last year been accepted as an observer member under its constitutional name to the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS) at the summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan and expressed his gratitude to the President of Kyrgyzstan, Sadyr Japarov, for his support to the TRNC in being accepted as an observer member to the OTS in November 2022.
In his speech, President Tatar spoke about the Cyprus issue, the long struggle of the Turkish Cypriot People to co-exist as inherent equals and the historical developments on the Island.
President Tatar drew parallels between the struggle of the People of Kyrgyzstan and the Turkish Cypriot People and said that the people of our two nations share common grounds on this point.
“Türkiye, which is geographically located just 40 miles away from the Island of Cyprus, has always shown that she will always stand by the side and support the Turkish Cypriot People,” President Tatar said.
Referring to energy issues and investments, President Tatar underlined the success of the “Project of the Century” – the 80km-long undersea pipeline transporting 75 million m3 of water per annum from Türkiye to the TRNC.
“We believe that the two Sides in Cyprus can cooperate on projects that will be of mutual benefit for all. . . we are taking confident steps towards the future with these mega projects,” he said.
The President added: “I have reiterated to our Greek Cypriot neighbours and on various international platforms that we support a realistic and sustainable settlement in Cyprus. The way forward for Cyprus is the cooperative relationship of two States coexisting as friendly neighbours. This is the way forward to ensure peace and stability, and this is a policy fully supported by the Republic of Türkiye.”
Stating that there have been negotiations held for more than half-a-century on the basis of a federal settlement, President Tatar said: “Despite the arduous efforts of the Turkish Cypriot Side to reach a federal settlement through negotiations, the Greek Cypriot Side has demonstrated time and again its unwillingness to share power and prosperity with the Turkish Cypriot Side on the basis of equality.”. President Tatar noted that the Greek Cypriot Side is continuing to put forward an obstructionist approach and ignores the existence of the Turkish Cypriot People
He added “A new round of negotiations again collapsed in Crans-Montana in 2017. We have stated that negotiations on the federal basis have been exhausted, and that it is now the time to think outside the federal box. I have stated that new and formal negotiations can only be started with the reaffirmation of the sovereign equality and equal international status of the two Sides.”
Expressing his gratitude to Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of the Republic of Türkiye, for his efforts and support to the TRNC, President Tatar said that President Erdoğan, in his addresses at the UN General Assembly, has called upon the international community to formally recognise the TRNC, and to put an end to our isolation by establishing diplomatic, economic and political links with our country.
