Prime Minister Faiz Sucuoğlu issued a message on Monday to mark the 21-25 December National Struggle and Martyrs’ Week.

He started his message by remembering those who sacrificed their lives so that the Turkish Cypriot people could live in freedom and security under the roof of their own state.

Describing the bloody attacks launched against Turkish Cypriots on December 21, 1963 as a terrorist attack that went down as a black stain in history, Sucuoğlu said that thousands of Turkish Cypriots were displaced from their homes or were killed as a result of the racist and facist attacks carried out by Greek Cypriots with the aim of uniting the island with Greece.

He said that they were determined to preserve the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus with the support of Turkey to ensure that future generations will not have to relive the bitter experiences of the past.

Regarding the Cyprus Issue, Prime Minister Sucuoğlu pointed out that the Turkish Cypriot side had repeatedly displayed a constructive stance in order to achieve a just and lasting solution but that all efforts had failed due to the Greek Cypriot side’s intransigent stance.

He added that a settlement that ensured the continuation of Turkey’s guarantees was the only way to protect the rights and interests of the Turkish Cypriot people  as well as to preserve the current environment of peace on the island.

He concluded his message by paying his respects to all the martyrs and expressing his gratitude to the late Turkish Cypriot leader for struggle and existence Dr Fazıl Küçük and the late founding President Rauf Denktaş for the struggle they waged on behalf of the Turkish Cypriot people.