MFA reacts to Kasoulides statements
Date Added: 24 May 2022

The statement delivered to the Greek Cypriot press by the Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides has led to a reaction by the TRNC Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that Kasoulides’s remarks that the so-called “Confidence Building Measures package”, which was portrayed as “an opportunity not to be missed for Turkish Cypriots”, is simply an indication of its insincerity.

The statement issued by the foreign ministry noted that the Cyprus issue is a question of status and that the essence of the Cyprus issue lies in the international community’s treatment of the Greek Cypriot side as ‘the state and the representative’ of the whole Island and Turkish Cypriot side as just a community within that state.

“Encouraged by this unjust treatment, the Greek Cypriot side’s only aim is to use the so-called ‘Confidence Building Measures’ to conceal the essence of the issue and to sustain its comfort zone bestowed by the status quo” said the foreign ministry statement.

“The efforts of the Greek Cypriot side to extend its sovereignty into our country through the so-called ‘Confidence Building Measures’ proposal is unacceptable,” noted the statement.

It continued to state that the Turkish Cypriot side supports cooperation in various areas designed on the basis of the sovereign equality of the two States.

“It is an undeniable fact that today there are two States on the island and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is the sole competent authority in the territories under its absolute sovereignty” noted the statement.

It also touched upon the openings that are taking place in the fenced off city of Maraş by saying that the openings in the Maraş area were made with the decisions taken by the government in line with and with full respect for property rights.

“The TRNC State is the only counterpart of both the Greek Cypriot administration of South Cyprus and the United Nations on this matter and on other similar matters. We would like to reemphasize that handing over our sovereignty in the fenced-off area of Maraş, which is part of our territory, is not an issue open to discussion” the statement concluded.