Holding a joint press conference with Prime Minister Ersin Tatar of the TRNC, President Erdoğan said: “We are determined to continue our struggle until the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) has politically and economically become an equal and honorable member of the global system.”

Erdoğan and Prime Minister Tatar participated via videoconference in the water supply ceremony following the repair of the TRNC Water Supply Project.

Erdoğan voiced his wish that the presidential elections to be held in the TRNC on Sunday may yield auspicious results for the Turkish Cypriots who have proven their democratic maturity numerous times.

“No scenario that excludes Turkey and the TRNC can succeed in the Eastern Mediterranean”

“To us, there are two aspects of the Eastern Mediterranean issue: The first one is to protect Turkey’s rights on its continental shelf. The second one is to secure the Turkish Cypriots’ rights and interests over the natural resources around the island,” Erdoğan said.

Pointing to Turkey’s activities in the Mediterranean, Erdoğan said: “Our national drilling and seismic research vessels continue their activities within our own continental shelf as well as in the TRNC’s license zones. Inshallah, we will discover natural gas in the Eastern Mediterranean like we did in the Black Sea. When we accomplish that, the whole world will see that peace, stability and prosperity come to the region. As we always say, no scenario that excludes Turkey and the TRNC can succeed in the Eastern Mediterranean. The Turkish Cypriots must be represented in a way they deserve in the Eastern Mediterranean Conference which is planned to be held in the period ahead. We have seen that the Turkish Cypriots were disregarded once again in the last EU Summit. Those, who give the Turkish Cypriots their due behind closed doors, refrain from shouldering responsibility when it comes to action. The best answer we will give to those who find guarantees to be outdated is that there is no place for such a mentality in the 21st century. Turkey will not allow this injustice to continue.”

Underscoring that the mentality of the Greek Cypriots has remained unchanged since 2004, Erdoğan said: “Their only concern is to make the Turkish Cypriots a minority within the fake state they established by violating the Turkish Cypriots’ rights. The Turkish Cypriots will never agree to that. The Turkish nation never has and never will leave alone the Turkish Cypriots in their struggle for equal sovereignty.”

“We inaugurated the TRNC water supply project in 2015”

Highlighting the importance of water for Cyprus, Erdoğan voiced his pleasure over the reopening of the TRNC Water Supply pipeline, which transports water from Anatolia to Cyprus.

“As a government which realized numerous dreams in Turkey, we have had the honor of resolving Cyprus’ water problem. We have completed and inaugurated the TRNC Water Supply Project in 2015,” Erdoğan said.

“I see this project, beyond its economic value, which stretches from Anamur to Girne as a vision for a bright future in peace and prosperity,” Erdoğan noted.

Underlining that as Turkey, the rising star of its region and the world, reaches its goals, the Turkish Cypriots will make up for the injustices they suffered for a long time, Erdoğan said: “We are determined to continue our struggle until the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus has politically and economically become an equal and honorable member of the global system.”

“It is an indisputable fact that Maraş is a territory of the TRNC”

“I know very well what the re-opening of the closed Maraş means to the Turkish Cypriots,” Erdoğan said.

“It is also meaningful that this development has occurred amid increasing attacks to destroy the Turkish Cypriots’ five-century-long presence on the island. We know that it will upset many places. However, they should know that it has always been the Turks in Cyprus that has shown patience. It has always been us. Unfortunately, our patience has gone unreciprocated.”

Underscoring that the Cyprus issue, which is one of the major crisis areas in the region, has been waiting for a solution since 1963, Erdoğan said: “The negotiations, which were held intermittently for over 50 years, have not yielded any result because of the dealbreaker attitude of the Greek Cypriot side and Greece, which is also the case now.”

“They want the Turkish Cypriots to pay the price for the deadlock,” Erdoğan said.

“Maraş, which is one of the most precious districts of the Cyprus Island, has remained close as a result of this deadlock. Following the last multilateral talks in 2017, it has been clearly seen that there is no longer a possibility for a comprehensive solution in Cyprus. After that, we have decided to build Cyprus’ future together on the basis of concrete facts instead of dreams. As you have mentioned, it is an indisputable fact that Maraş is a territory of the TRNC. The decision about it rests with the Turkish Cypriot authorities. We support to the end your decision to open up the beautiful coastline of Maraş to your people within the framework of the roadmap you drafted in light of this fact.”

“As the TRNC grows stronger, the shackles of embargo on it will begin to break one by one”

“I believe Maraş, which used to be the favorite holiday destination in the entire Eastern Mediterranean, will regain its former glory,” Erdoğan said.

“We are glad that the Turkish Cypriots, as a first step, will be able to enter the closed area from Thursday morning to benefit from Maraş’s coastline. Since there are no private properties on the area which is being opened, there will be no aggrievement, which has already nullified the other side’s objections. We hope that the ongoing works, which are carried out by respecting property rights, will be completed as soon as possible and Maraş will be opened for use in its entirety. We stand ready to give all kinds of support to the TRNC authorities regarding this issue.”

“Turning Maraş into a favorite tourism destination in the region is an opportunity that will greatly stimulate the TRNC economy,” Erdoğan underscored.

“We can receive any moment now good news from our ongoing natural gas and oil exploration activities in the region. When we take in into consideration along with the water pipeline, we can say that the revenues from energy, agriculture and tourism will multiply in the period ahead.”

“As the TRNC grows bigger, richer and stronger, the shackles of embargo on it will begin to break one by one,” Erdoğan underlined.

“With the support of Turkey’s political, diplomatic and military power, we are moving towards the point, which our elderlies describe as ‘force changes the game’. The strong will, Prime Minister Tatar displays on all these issues, is an important opportunity for the bright and prosperous future of the Turkish Cypriots. I once again wish that the decision to open Maraş may yield auspicious results for the Turkish Cypriots,” Erdoğan said. (ILKHA)