Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu criticized the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the United Kingdom (UK) and the Greek Cypriot Administration regarding the establishment of a “Strategic Cooperation”.

Ertuğruloğlu stressed that ‘strategic partnership agreement’ goes against the 1960 treaties of guarantee, which established the UK as a guarantor on the island, and established balance on the island.

According to a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Minister Ertuğruloğlu pointed out that it was concerning that the UK, as a guarantor country, was attempting to establish strategic cooperation with the Greek Cypriot Administration, including areas of defence and foreign policy.

He added that the agreement was against the 1960 agreements which established a balance in Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean.

The foreign minister said that the agreement signed meant nothing for the TRNC.

“I would like to remind that South Cyprus does not have the authority to sign a memorandum of understanding, conclude an agreement, or make a legal act on behalf of the Turkish Cypriot people for the entire island, that the Turkish Cypriot people are represented by the TRNC state and that the authority to conclude agreements on his behalf belongs to our state,” he said.

In his statement, Ertuğruloğlu also stressed that “with this agreement, the UK will encourage the Greek Cypriot Administration to continue its provocative actions, which has destabilized the island and the region.”